The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided revised guidance regarding eligibility of Afghan Humanitarian Parolees Afghanistan for Refugee Resettlement Program, CalWORKs and CalFresh benefits, and new guidance regarding eligibility for Afghan Special Immigrant Conditional Permanent Residents. This guidance superceedes ACWDL September 3, 2021.
Afghan Special Immigrant Conditional Permanent Residents and Afghan Special Immigrant Lawful Permanent Residents are eligible for public benefits to the same extent as refugees. Afghan Special Immigrant Conditional Permanent Residents are persons waiting for medical clearance to enter the United States.
Afghan Humanitarian Parolees, and their spouse and children, are eligible for benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. They are eligible from October 1, 2021 or the date they are paroled in the United States, whichever is later, to March 31, 2023, or the end of parolees’ parole term, whichever is later. Benefits that Humanitarian Parolees, and their spouse and children, are eligible for are Refugee Cash Assistance, CalWORKs, CalFresh, SSI, Refugee Support Services, and Services for Older Refugees. Counties should redetermine eligibility for benefits when parole has expired or by March 31, 2023, whichever is later.
For CalWORKs, Afghan Humanitarian Parolees are not subject to the five-year ban on federally funded CalWORKs benefits.
For CalWORKs, reception and placement cash benefits count as property because they are considered recurring lump sum payments.
Afghan Humanitarian Parolees can be eligible for CalWORKs Housing Support Program. Housing Support and Homeless Assistance can supplement federal refugee resettlement funds. (ACWDL, December 2, 2021.)