Contractor and Cooperator Reports No. (CCR-63) 163 pp
Effects of Immigration on WIC and NSLP Caseloads
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have no eligibility restrictions based on the legal status of immigrants. This study reveals an increase in the number and share of immigrants and their children in WIC and NSLP between the mid-1990s and 2006; however, their share of participants is generally comparable to their share of the eligible population. Findings suggest that immigrants face fewer barriers to access in WIC and NSLP than they do for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and other benefits subject to immigration-related eligibility restrictions.
This study was conducted by The Urban Institute under a cooperative research agreement with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FANRP): agreement number 59-5000-8-0098 (ERS project representative: Michele Ver Ploeg). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ERS or USDA.
Keywords: WIC, National School Lunch Program, immigration, legal status, eligibility, participation, United States, statistics, Immigrants, immigrants, program eligibility, participation
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