Pacific Islanders from nations with U.S. treaties can now access federal benefits like food stamps under a new law. However, many continue to question when the access will begin.
President Joe Biden signed the Compact Impact Fairness Act into law this month, restoring federal benefits to migrants who are now eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income and more.
The Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights hosted a virtual news conference on Tuesday, during which Micronesian community leaders and state and federal officials discussed how Micronesians can access federal benefits.
Scott Morishige of the state Department of Human Services said it might take time to roll out programs.
“But exactly how we can implement it, we’re wanting to make sure that we can do so in a process that’s as streamlined as possible,” Morishige said. “We’re looking at possibly making some adjustments to our phone system, but the main thing is that we’re starting those discussions.”
He said although there’s no concrete timeline for implementing the programs, other states with Micronesian communities are also trying to roll out their programs.
Citizens of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau couldn’t access such benefits for decades due to the 1996 Welfare Reform Act.
