SALEM, Ore. (KATU) — More than 200 advocates, community members, and coalition partners gathered at the Oregon State Capitol to urge lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 611, known as Food for All Oregonians.
This marks the largest advocacy day since the pandemic, with participants meeting 51 legislators across 75 districts to push for the bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding food assistance to immigrants and refugees.
The bill is part of the Immigrant Justice Package and a priority for the BIPOC Caucus. It seeks to address food insecurity by ensuring access to food assistance for all Oregonians, including those excluded from federal programs due to immigration status.
Currently, lawful permanent residents, also known as Green Card holders, can only be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) after a five-year waiting period, and even then, they can only be eligible if they meet all the other SNAP financial and non-financial eligibility requirements, with some exceptions. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service states that SNAP is not and has never been available to undocumented non-citizens.
Non-citizens like tourists and students on visa are generally not eligible. Some non-citizens such as refugees and those granted asylum, or victims of severe trafficking and others may be eligible without a waiting period as long as they meet all the other requirements.
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Andrea Williams, President of the Oregon Food Bank, emphasized the importance of the bill, stating, “As a mother, I want to know that my kids — and all kids — have a stable, nourished future. Hunger should never be a barrier to learning, to growing, to thriving.”
The advocacy day highlighted the widespread support for the initiative, backed by over 180 organizations. Currently, one in six children in Oregon faces food insecurity, and one in 13 Oregonians over 60 struggles with food access.
Last year, the Oregon Food Bank recorded 2.5 million visits to food assistance sites, with a 30% increase in visits from children. The bill would also lead to less homelessness and positive outcomes in education, early learning, job retention, health equality and behavioral health, according to Oregon Food Bank.
USDA’s Economic Research Service also cites that SNAP helps every $1 spent on food assistance to generate about $1.50 in local economic activity, supporting businesses, jobs and wages across the state.
Senator Wlnsvey Campos, D-Aloha, expressed support for the bill, saying, “Oregon has long been a place where we care for our neighbors and step up to meet big challenges. Food for All Oregonians is a chance for us to live out those values.”
The bill proposes to mirror SNAP, extending benefits to those excluded due to immigration status. Martha Verduzco, Director of the Immigrant Help Center, stated, “This isn’t just about food. It’s about our humanity, our compassion, and our responsibility to each other.”
With hunger at its highest levels in decades, advocates are calling for bold action, urging lawmakers to pass the bill this session to ensure all Oregonians have access to necessary food resources.
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