SALT LAKE CITY — Supporters and critics of illegal immigrants faced off Tuesday at a hearing over a Utah proposal that would reduce or eliminate food stamp benefits for about 7,800 families that are a mix of legal and undocumented residents.
"I'm tired of being taxed to death so other people can live for their American dream," said Cindy Gallegos of Roy in comments typical of those supporting the change. "You can't gain from illegal activity, so why should they gain from illegal activity?"
On the other hand, Sheila Walsh McDonald, an advocate with the Salt Lake Community Action Program, said the change "will be harmful to families" if the state decides to go beyond minimum federal requirements in counting income to determine eligibility in blended families.
The state is proposing to begin counting income of all members of a household when it figures out eligibility for food stamps. Undocumented aliens are not eligible for food stamps, but often their children or other relatives who are citizens may receive them.
Until now, Utah — like most states — has prorated income in such households in complicated methods that state officials said may allow some homes with illegal aliens to qualify for food stamps, while similar families where everyone is a U.S. citizen would not.
An example offered by the Department of Workforce Services compared two families of four that each earn $2,400 a month.
It said if all four family members are U.S. citizens, the combined income of $2,400 would be too high to qualify. But if the family had only two citizens, the way most states prorate income would count $1,579 in income a month for the two citizens, which would qualify them for benefits.
Curt Stewart, spokesman for the Department of Workforce Services, said about 7,800 families statewide would have food stamps cut or reduced under the change — which is about one of every 13 total families that receive food stamps statewide.
State officials say the proposal would be more fair among all families and would also be easier to figure than old formulas when a new computer system goes online beginning July 1.
Advocates for the poor, however, say the state is proposing something beyond what is required by the federal government, and it will hurt blended legal-illegal immigrant families that are struggling.
"There's no need to change the rule under current law," McDonald said.
"It is very difficult to imagine any other group of people whose benefits will be cut by a state agency during a recession simply to make life easier for the computer programming department," said Bill Tippitts, Anti-Hunger Program director for the Crossroads Urban Center,
"This is not about denying children or babies food," said Marylynne Nageli of Taylorsville. "This is very simply about breaking the law or upholding the law."
Nageli said rules should "be fair across the board" and not give blended families extra benefits.
Gallegos added that undocumented immigrants "came here illegally to use all of our services. That's just not right. … If you come here illegally and live in the shadows, please don't stick your hand out and expect me to put money in it."
State officials are expected to decide whether to make the change later this month. About a dozen people attended the hearing, and about as many news reporters were there covering the event at the Department of Workforce Services offices.
e-mail: lee@desnews.com