THIS POLICY IS SUPERCEEDED BY ACWDL December 2, 2021, summarized here, for federal benefits.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided guidance regarding eligibility of Afghan Humanitarian Parolees Afghanistan for Refugee Resettlement Program, CalWORKs and CalFresh benefits.
Humanitarian Parolees are not eligible for Refugee Cash Assistance or any other Office of Refugee Resettlement programs.
Humanitarian Parolees are eligible for CalWORKs from the day they are paroled into the United States.
Humanitarian Parolees are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Humanitarian Parolees are eligible for Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants.
Humanitarian Parolees are eligible for CalFresh only if they have been paroled into the United States for at least one year, and, among other factors, have lived in the United States for qualified aliens, have 40 quarters of qualifying work, or are children under age 18.
Humanitarian Parolees are eligible for the California Food Assistance Program when the have been paroled into the United States for one year or more.
Regardless of documentation provided, the county must submit these cases to the SAVE system for immigration status verification. (ACWDL, September 3, 2021 and Errata, September 17, 2021.)