Dear Chairs Kennedy and Livingstone, and Members of the Committee,

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) writes in support of H135/S76, which would take step to provide vital food assistance and cash benefits to Massachusetts households who are currently ineligible due to their immigration status, despite being lawfully present in the country. Founded in 2008, KIND is an international nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and protection of children who migrate alone in search of safety. Since 2009, KIND’s Boston office has served unaccompanied children by providing legal and social services, and advocating for laws and policies to improve the safety and well-being of unaccompanied children.

Many of the unaccompanied children KIND represents have fled their home countries due to violence, abuse, and other dangers. Once in the United States, these children join caregivers and family members in the community, who are also often immigrants. Many unaccompanied children face conditions such as extreme poverty and food insecurity in their countries of origin, making it more likely that these children experience chronic conditions such as malnutrition and other undiagnosed developmental disorders. (1) Research has demonstrated that the trauma and violence faced by many unaccompanied children links ACEs and household food insecurity, (2) indicating the critical need for a public health approach, (3) such as combatting food insecurity, to reduce negative impacts on health outcomes. We have the opportunity before us now to immediately improve the conditions and lives of unaccompanied children and their caregivers in Massachusetts.

Current federal laws exclude many of unaccompanied children and their caregivers who have pending asylum, U and T visas, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases from accessing the services and benefits to meet their basic needs. Immigration processing delays (4) have further meant that the children that KIND serve and their families, including those who are lawfully present, continue to face gaps in critical services.

Termination of Massachusetts state-funded benefits for food and cash assistance that was provided from 1997 to 2002 have left many families and children struggling to make ends meet and stay food secure. A common source of stress for the children KIND serves and their caregivers is economic and financial stability to cover basic needs like food, rent, toiletries and clothes. KIND highlights as an example three clients who would benefit from H135/S76. Two KIND clients from Dorchester and Somerville with approved SIJS have reported housing and food insecurity—even living in a non-livable office space for a period of time or in their cars. Another KIND client with SIJS in Chelsea works long hours to help pay for food and rent while also attending high school. Additional support would allow all of our clients to focus on school, enjoy their lives as young people, and set them up for success in our community.

KIND has field offices in states such as California and Washington, which provide state-funded benefits that help ensure basic nutrition for immigrant children, and has seen the positive difference it can make for these children. Ensuring all families and children in Massachusetts—including all unaccompanied children—are treated fairly and have sufficient food and basic necessities are important steps toward an equitable Massachusetts where prosperity is shared by all. For these reasons, KIND supports H135/S76 and thank you for your leadership to restore improved access to nutrition and basic assistance for immigrant children in Massachusetts. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Cindy Liou, Esq.
Senior Director of State and Local Policy
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)

1 Mark Greenberg, et. al., “Strengthening Services for Unaccompanied Children in U.S. Communities,” Migration Policy Institute (MPI), Jun. 2021, available at https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/mpi unaccompanied-children-services_final.pdf.

2 Dylan B Jackson, et. al, “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Household Food Insecurity: Findings From the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health,” 57 Am J Prev Med 5, Nov. 2019.

3 Lianne Fuino Estefan, Katie A. Ports, & Tracy Hipp, “Unaccompanied Children Migrating from Central America: Public Health Implications for Violence Prevention and Intervention,” 3 Curr. Trauma Rep. 2, Apr. 2017, available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5812021.

4 In particular, many unaccompanied children apply for SIJS. Historically, immigrant children have been able to apply for their green cards and work permits concurrently with their SIJS petitions, receiving a decision on their SIJS application and then shortly thereafter, on their work permits and legal permanent residency (green cards). However, in 2016, a backlog for SIJS emerged. It was estimated in November 2021 report that over 44,000 children from El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico were in this backlog. Although in May 2022 the federal government began granting deferred action to individuals with approved SIJS petitions who are not able to adjust status yet and apply for their green card, the backlog now applies to children from all parts of the world and continues to be a problem for permanency and stability for vulnerable children. See Rachel Leya Davidson and Laila L. Hlass, “’Any Day They Could Deport Me’: Over 44,000 Immigrant Children Trapped in SIJS Backlog,” Nov. 2021, End SIJS Backlog Coalition, available at https://www.sijsbacklog.com/s/Any-Day-They-Could-Deport-Me-Over-44000-Immigrant-Children-Trapped-in-the-SIJS-Backlog-FULL-REPORT.pdf and End SIJS Backlog Coalition, “Frequently Asked Questions about USCIS’ SIJS Deferred Action Policy,” Jun. 28, 2023, available at https://www.sijsbacklog.com/s/2023_USCIS-SIJS-DA-policy.pdf.