This section of PALawHelp.org has information and resources about Benefits for Immigrants in Pennsylvania.
Here is a recorded webinar from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia discussing recent changes regarding Immigrant Access to Benefits. Additional Information is available at https://clsphila.org/highlights/many-immigrants-could-lose-snap/ (Sep 25, 2025)
Click on a resource category listed below to see information related to that category.
Immigrant Access to Benefits: Navigating Recent Changes (Video)
On September 25, 2025, experts from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia led a webinar training on new restrictions on immigrant eligibility for benefits. New federal law changes will cause many immigrants to lose access to benefits including SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, and Pennie health insurance coverage. In addition, reports of public benefit data sharing are causing some immigrants to forgo the benefits they or their families are eligible to receive. This webinar explains these recent changes and provides tips for keeping those who remain eligible connected to public benefits.
ImmigrationLawHelp.org
ImmigrationLawHelp.org is a searchable online directory of over 1,000 free or low-cost nonprofit immigration legal services providers in all 50 states. Only nonprofits that are BIA recognized or have attorneys on staff are included in the directory.
National Immigration Law Center
Website of the National Immigration Law Center, one of the leading organizations in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of low-income immigrants.
Federal Court Finder
Find a federal court location by location or court name, including appellate, district, bankruptcy, probation and pretrial office, or federal defender organization. Each District Court has its own local forms which are generally available on the Court website.
Immigrant Access to Benefits: Navigating Recent Changes (Video)
On September 25, 2025, experts from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia led a webinar training on new restrictions on immigrant eligibility for benefits. New federal law changes will cause many immigrants to lose access to benefits including SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, and Pennie health insurance coverage. In addition, reports of public benefit data sharing are causing some immigrants to forgo the benefits they or their families are eligible to receive. This webinar explains these recent changes and provides tips for keeping those who remain eligible connected to public benefits.
National Immigration Law Center
Website of the National Immigration Law Center, one of the leading organizations in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of low-income immigrants.
Immigrant's Eligibility for Unemployment Compensation
Information from the National Employment Law Project (NELP) for immigrant worker advocates. This NELP information thoroughly explains eligibility requirements for immigrant workers in order to receive unemployment insurance benefits. To be eligible for unemployment insurance, immigrant workers must satisfy the same basic requirements as other workers. First, they must be unemployed “through no fault of their own.” Second, they must have enough wages earned or hours worked in their “base period” to establish a claim. Third, they must be “able and available” to work. Please consult an attorney to get an evaluation of your claims.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Health Care and Health Insurance for Immigrants
This resource provides information that all immigrant families should know when deciding to get health care or apply for health insurance programs. Families that include people who are not authorized to be in the U.S. may have questions about whether they can safely apply for health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaces, Medicaid, and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program). (December 2016, reviewed January 2025)
Overview of Immigrant Eligibility for Federal Programs
(May 1, 2024) This resource focuses on eligibility and other rules governing immigrants’ access to federal public benefits programs. The article provides an overview of the current laws and policies governing access to benefits for noncitizens. It describes the relevant laws, followed by an explanation of immigrant eligibility for the major public benefits programs, and outlines other issues such as concerns about privacy, potential immigration consequences, and language access barriers that affect participation. Originally published in November 2015.