Public Benefits for Immigrants

SFHSA provides valuable public benefits for immigrants, including food, cash, and health care assistance.

Below, view the public benefits available based on your immigration status and the required documentation. 

Every situation is different. To learn how getting public benefits may affect your immigrant status, call the Bay Area Legal Aid Free Advice Hotline (800) 551-5554.

For citywide services for immigrants, including legal help, job and career services, and housing and shelter, visit the City’s Immigrant Services and Resources page.

Regardless of your immigration status, you can still apply for benefits for your children who are born in the U.S. We encourage noncitizens to apply or contact SFHSA for more details about their specific case.

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Program eligibility by immigration status

No longer eligible as of April 1, 2026:

  • CalFresh (food stamps): Beginning April 1, 2026, CalFresh eligibility ended for certain immigrants without Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR, or green card) status including: Refugees, asylees, and other certain noncitizens that were previously eligible. This change impacted new applications starting April 1. 

    Households with these immigration statuses that are currently receiving CalFresh will be impacted at their next recertification period, starting for households with recertifications due in April 2026. 

If granted parole for at least one year you may also get:

  • CalFresh (food stamps): Parolees are eligible until they reach five years of parole status with the exception of Cuban or Haitian Entrants (CHE) who have no parole time limit. We encourage noncitizens to apply or contact SFHSA for more details about their specific case.
  • CalWORKs cash assistance for people with children or CalWORKs Diversion
  • County Adult Assistance Programs (CAAP) cash assistance for individuals without dependents

 

No longer eligible as of April 1, 2026:

  • CalFresh (food stamps): Beginning April 1, 2026, CalFresh eligibility ended for certain immigrants without Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR, or green card) status including: Refugees, asylees, and other certain noncitizens that were previously eligible. This change impacted new applications starting April 1. 

    Households with these immigration statuses that are currently receiving CalFresh will be impacted at their next recertification period, starting for households with recertifications due in April 2026. 

No longer eligible as of April 1, 2026:

  • CalFresh (food stamps): Beginning April 1, 2026, CalFresh eligibility ended for certain immigrants without Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR, or green card) status including: Refugees, asylees, and other certain noncitizens that were previously eligible. This change impacted new applications starting April 1. 

    Households with these immigration statuses that are currently receiving CalFresh will be impacted at their next recertification period, starting for households with recertifications due in April 2026. 

  • Medi-Cal health insurance if you are a California resident

T-Visa and U-Visa allows you to get:

U-Visa also qualifies you for:

  • Undocumented Californians aged 19 and older who currently do not receive Medi-Cal benefits are no longer eligible to enroll for full medical coverage through Medi-Cal. Exceptions apply for undocumented foster youth up to age 26 and pregnant people. Undocumented Californians under the age of 19 continue to be eligible for Medi-Cal.
  • County Adult Assistance Programs (CAAP) cash assistance for individuals without dependents - Only if you are catastrophically ill

You can apply on behalf of U.S.-born children for:

  • Medi-Cal health insurance. We encourage noncitizens to apply or contact SFHSA for more details about their specific case.

Depends on status or category on work permit (Employment Authorization Card / Document):

Conditional Entrants, Victims of Trafficking, Battered Noncitizens

Individuals with Deportation or Removal Withheld

CalFresh (food stamps): Beginning April 1, 2026, CalFresh eligibility ended for certain immigrants without Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR, or green card) status including: Refugees, asylees, trafficking survivors, and other certain noncitizens that were previously eligible. This change impacted new applications starting April 1. Households with these immigration statuses that are currently receiving CalFresh will be impacted at their next recertification period, starting for households with recertifications due in April 2026. 

 

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