NY Times Editorial On SSI For Disabled Refugees

From today's New York Times:

Thousands of elderly and disabled refugees who have found safety in the United States in recent years may soon find out just how cold and equivocal America’s welcome can be. These vulnerable newcomers are subject to a federal law that cuts off their disability benefits if they do not become citizens within seven years. ...

While many have done so, thousands have found it impossible to meet the deadline. Some are old and infirm and have not yet been able to pass the language and civics test. Many others are caught in a bureaucratic trap: the notoriously hapless citizenship agency, overwhelmed by security paperwork since 9/11, has not finished their background checks in time.

The Social Security Administration estimates that more than 21,000 immigrants since 2003 have been cut off from disability checks for missing the seven-year deadline, and that about 35,000 more will be pushed off that cliff in the next five years unless something is done.

If you wonder who could possibly object to helping this small, fragile population, the answer is almost nobody. A bill to extend the limit to nine years passed the House last July by voice vote, with no objections, and it was to be offered for unanimous consent in the Senate. That is until Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, exercised his right to place a “hold” on the bill, sending it into limbo, where it remains.

The Times could have been clearer. They are talking about Supplemental Security Income (SSI). For more on this issue, see this summary prepared by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.