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Minnesota Family Investment Program Minnesota House Research Department Page 8 Category of Noncitizen Eligible for federally funded cash portion? Eligible for state-funded cash portion? Refugees; asylees; Iraqi or Afghan special immigrants; persons granted Afghan or Ukrainian Humanitarian Parole and their immediate relatives while their parole period is active; persons granted withholding of deportation; Cuban/Haitian entrants; Amerasians from Vietnam; and victims of a severe form of trafficking8 Yes N/A Honorably discharged veterans or persons on active military duty, along with their spouses and dependent children Yes N/A Lawful permanent residents9 who entered U.S. before 8/22/96 Yes N/A Lawful permanent residents who entered U.S. on or after 8/22/96 Only after being in U.S. for five years or if they had a certain humanitarian or COFA immigration status prior to their adjustment to LPR status If federal funds can’t be used, state funds may be used if certain criteria are met10 Battered noncitizen who is the spouse or child of a citizen or lawful permanent resident, and who entered U.S. before 8/22/96 Yes N/A
8 A victim of severe forms of trafficking is a noncitizen who is forced into the international sex trade, prostitution, slavery, and forced labor through coercion, threats of physical violence, psychological abuse, torture, and imprisonment. The federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 provides that victims of severe forms of trafficking are eligible for federal public assistance benefits to the same extent as a noncitizen who is admitted into the United States as a refugee. 9 A lawful permanent resident is generally a person who has a “green card,” which means the person has permission to live and work permanently in the United States and can apply for naturalization after living for five continuous years in the United States. 10 All lawfully residing noncitizens who are not eligible for federal funding may be eligible for state funding if they meet other eligibility criteria for state-funded cash assistance.