Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese founder Melisa Laelan discusses a report that recommends using legislation to extend SNAP benefits to Marshallese migrants during a press conference on Aug. 31, 2023. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate)
Eligible Marshallese migrants in Arkansas can begin applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Tuesday after access to the federal nutrition program was restored earlier this year.
State lawmakers in August approved an emergency rule to comply with the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which extends SNAP and Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) eligibility to citizens from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau as part of the renegotiated Compacts of Free Association (COFA).
Arkansas is home to the largest Marshallese community in the country, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
“Making sure everyone in Arkansas has access to healthy foods is one of our top priorities, and this change makes SNAP benefits available immediately to eligible Marshallese and other COFA residents in our state,” Arkansas Department of Human Services Secretary Kristi Putnam said in a press release. “We are grateful to be able to offer these benefits to our COFA citizens, and encourage those who are eligible to apply starting on Oct. 1.”
COFA allows the United States to operate military bases in these Pacific Island nations in exchange for guarantees and economic assistance. Migrants from these Freely Associated States can live and work in the U.S. as lawful non-immigrants.
The U.S. signed its compact with the Marshall Islands after conducting nearly 70 nuclear weapons tests on and near the Pacific Island nation.
Having access to federal benefits is a positive step toward health and wellness for Marshallese families, said Michelle Pedro policy director and communications specialist for Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese. It will allow migrants to buy healthy foods and foods that are close to what they like to eat back on the islands, she said.
“It is a big change, a huge difference in relieving struggling families, but there is still work to do,” Pedro said.
More than 32% of Arkansas’ Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population live below the poverty line, the highest rate in the state, according to American Community Survey census data.
A report released last year by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese recommended granting Marshallese migrants SNAP eligibility through legislation to address the community’s struggles with food insecurity.
Marshallese migrants were eligible for programs like SNAP and Medicaid through its original compact, but they lost access when their unique immigration status was not accounted for in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, a 1996 welfare reform law.
Congress restored Medicaid access in 2020, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 amended the 1996 law to restore SNAP access this year.
“We are happy to see benefits restored to the Marshallese community. Many families live paycheck to paycheck and this will help tremendously to improve the quality of life of Marshallese residents,” Marshallese Educational Initiative Executive Director Benetick Kabua Maddison said.
“We are disappointed, however, that the United States did not go further to fully address the ongoing consequences of the nuclear legacy which has affected every Marshallese person both in the islands and in diaspora.”
COFA residents do not automatically receive SNAP and TEA benefits. They must apply and meet regular eligibility requirements, which are based on household income, resources and other non-financial eligibility requirements, according to a state DHS press release.
Under the updated compact, COFA citizens are not subject to a waiting period and are immediately eligible for benefits as long as they meet all other SNAP requirements, according to guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in July.
COFA citizens who applied on or after March 9, 2024, and were denied SNAP benefits prior to the USDA issuing guidance may reapply or request a fair hearing within 90 days of the denial date. If an official determines the household was eligible for SNAP at the time of application, the state agency should issue retroactive benefits from the date of application, according to the guidance.
Pedro said ACOM plans to educate the Marshallese community about access to SNAP benefits through outreach efforts. The group also hopes to partner with organizations like the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and DHS in the coming weeks, but for now, Pedro said they’re working with people whose cases were denied to file an appeal or reapply.
MEI is providing training for advocates on how to enroll people on Thursday and an enrollment event on Oct. 12 in Springdale.
Applications for SNAP and TEA benefits can be made online, in person at a local DHS county office or over the phone.
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