A report by the Urban Institute, Mixed-Status Families and Immigrant Families with Children Continued Avoiding Safety Net Programs in 2023, explores the avoidance of safety net programs by adults in immigrant families due to fears about potential consequences for their immigration status. The report shows that nearly one-quarter of mixed-status families and 16% of adults in immigrant families with children avoided receiving noncash government benefits like Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and housing assistance last year due to fears about potentially negative consequences related to their citizenship status.
Using data from the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS), the authors analyzed responses from immigrant households categorized into three groups: all-citizen immigrant families, green card and citizen families, and mixed-status families, in which at least one member is undocumented. The findings reveal that nearly one in four adults (24%) in mixed-status families avoided safety net programs due to immigration concerns. This rate was substantially higher than the 6.6% of adults in all-citizen immigrant families and 11.5% in green card and citizen families who reported similar avoidance. For families with children, the disparities were even starker. Sixteen percent of adults in immigrant families with children avoided safety net programs, compared to just 7.5% of adults in families without children. For mixed-status families with children, the rate was 25%, underscoring the compounded vulnerability of children in households with undocumented members.
The study found that 60% of adults in mixed-status families reported at least one form of hardship, such as food insecurity, unmet medical needs, or difficulty paying rent and utilities. Food insecurity affected over half of mixed-status families, compared to about one-quarter of all-citizen immigrant families. Families with children also disproportionately experienced material hardships, with 45.7% experiencing hardship compared to 36% of families without children. These findings highlight how fear of repercussions leads to less reliance on safety net programs and tangible inequities in household stability and well-being.
The report concludes with several important policy recommendations to address the barriers immigrant families face in accessing safety net programs. First, it emphasizes the need to expand support for community-based organizations that work directly with immigrant families. These trusted entities can help combat misinformation, provide culturally and linguistically appropriate assistance, and rebuild trust in public systems. Second, the authors call for streamlined enrollment and renewal processes to reduce bureaucratic barriers, which are particularly daunting for families already hesitant to engage with government programs. Finally, the report advocates for expanded eligibility for safety net programs at the state level, with examples like California’s extension of SNAP benefits to older undocumented adults serving as a model for promoting access and equity.
The findings of the report underscore the urgent need to rebuild trust and ensure equitable access for immigrant families to public benefits. Addressing these systemic barriers can mitigate material hardship, reduce health disparities, and improve economic stability for millions of children and families nationwide.
The article can be found at: https://bit.ly/4fNb3qG