Eligible Refugees

To be eligible for the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Program and RCA Child Care, a customer must have an immigration status listed in this section.

Customers are required to provide proof of immigration status, in the form of documentation issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), usually the USCIS Form I-94.

A person from any country who has been paroled as a refugee or asylee under Section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA).

A person from any country who has been admitted as a refugee under Section 207 of the INA.

A person from any country who has been granted asylum under Section 208 of the INA.

A person from any country who has a USCIS Form I-151 or I-551 showing that the person is a permanent resident non-citizen. The person must also verify that the person previously held one of the statuses listed in 1-3 above.

Children of a refugee family who are born in the U.S. (or in a refugee camp). These children have the same USCIS/A registration number as their mother with a suffix of 01, 02, etc. The suffix shows the sequence of birth in the U.S.

Certain Amerasian Immigrants. These persons have either a USCIS Form I-94 (with class code AM1, AM2, or AM3) or USCIS Form I-551 with codes AM6, AM7, and AM8.

A Cuban or Haitian Entrant - defined as: Any individual granted parole status as a Cuban/Haitian Entrant (Status Pending) or granted any other special status subsequently established under the immigration laws for nationals of Cuba or Haiti, regardless of the status of the individual at the time assistance or services are provided; or Any other national of Cuban or Haiti who: Was paroled into the United States and has not acquired any other status under the INA; and, Is the subject of exclusion or deportation proceedings under the INA, OR, has an application for asylum pending with the USCIS; and, With respect to whom a final, non-appealable, and legally enforceable order of deportation of exclusion has not been entered.

Non-Citizens certified as Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking. A Qualified Non-Citizen under the term Victim of Severe Forms of Trafficking is a non-citizen: Who has been certified by the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and has been issued a Certification Letter that identifies the certification date.

A non-citizen, who is a Victim of a Severe form of Trafficking while not identified as a refugee, shall be eligible for benefits and services under any Federal or State program or activity funded or administered by any Federal agency to the same extent a non-citizen who is admitted to the United States as a refugee under Section 207 of the INA.

Iraqi and Afghan non-citizens who have been granted Special Immigrant status. These non-citizens are admitted as Legal Permanent Residents. A non-citizen, who is an Iraqi or Afghani Special Immigrant Visa Holder, while not identified as an refugee, shall be eligible for benefits and services under any Federal or State program or activity funded or administered by any Federal agency to the same extent as a non-citizen who is admitted to the United States as a refugee under Section 207 of the INA.

A citizen or national of Afghanistan who was admitted to the United States with SI/SQ Parole (per section 602(B)(1) AAPA and section 1059(a) NDAA 2006), Special Immigrant (SI) Conditional Permanent Residence (CPR), or Humanitarian Parole status (per the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022); and their spouses and children.

A citizen or national of Ukraine, or a non-Ukrainian individual who was last habitually residing in Ukraine, who was paroled into the United States (per the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022); and their spouses and children.