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Vermonters Take Action: Urge Governor Phil Scott to Ensure Afghan Allies Receive Basic Food Assistance

In July, Congress enacted H.R.1, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), which – for the first time in history – excluded refugees and other humanitarian entrants from eligibility to receive food and nutrition assistance under SNAP. In Vermont, the state government is implementing devastating SNAP cuts around October 1st – and is considering going beyond the statutory language in H.R.1 by also excluding Afghan allies.

H.R.1 specifically retained eligibility for U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and Compact of Free Association residents (sec. 10108). Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs), who assisted the U.S. mission, arrive as lawful permanent residents and are eligible for SNAP, other basic assistance, and resettlement benefits. And yet, Vermont could wrongfully cut off their access to SNAP, inappropriately referring to H.R.1 for justification.

Cutting off refugee and humanitarian entrants from affordable groceries is already a devastating blow. It is imperative that Governor Scott hears loudly and clearly from Vermonters that we should continue to allow our Afghan neighbors who stood with America — translators, human rights defenders, women and girls — to receive SNAP. 

Note: This action alert is only accessible to concerned citizens who live in Vermont.

Messaging Guidance:

  • Investing in Afghan and refugees’ access to affordable groceries supports their economic integration and benefits our communities at every level. Afghan SIVs and refugees bring enormous economic and sociocultural benefits to the communities where they arrive. They are small business owners, tax contributors, and job creators. The data is unequivocal, at the local, federal, and even international level. An HHS report found that over a fifteen year period, refugees and asylees brought in over 124 billion in fiscal revenues than they cost (the survey replicated a Trump administration report with a similar result).
  • Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs) are exempted from H.R.1’s exclusion of refugee and humanitarian entrants’ eligibility for SNAP/food assistance. The so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) specifically retained eligibility for U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and Compact of Free Association residents (sec. 10108). Afghan SIVs, who assisted the U.S. mission, arrive as lawful permanent residents and are eligible for SNAP, other basic assistance, and resettlement benefits.
  • Vermont may wrongfully cut off Afghan SIVs’ access to SNAP, inappropriately referring to H.R.1 for justification. Starting around October 1st, Vermont is implementing the already-devastating SNAP cuts – but is considering going beyond the statutory language in H.R.1 by also excluding Afghan allies.