In California, there are many state and local programs that help low-income families,

including immigrants, meet their basic needs. Some are limited to lawful permanent

residents (green card holders) and people who hold certain types of visas or immigration

status while others are available to all people regardless of their immigration status, including

those who are undocumented. Here is an overview of some of the benefits available to

income and additional eligibility criteria to qualify.

California allows students who qualify as California residents to pay in-

residents may qualify for in-state tuition if they have certain types of

immigration status. If they are undocumented, they may still qualify for

in-state tuition, as allowed under California Assembly Bill 540. If you have

any questions about in-state tuition for a specific institution, schools’

websites often offer information and resources specifically for undocumented students.

The campus admissions office may be able to offer more insights, too.

California also allows certain undocumented students to apply for and receive state-

naturalization applications. More info at the bottom of this guide.

Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program)

In California, emergency Medi-Cal coverage is available to all individuals regardless of

Additionally, undocumented children, individuals age 50 or older, human trafficking

survivors, U visa applicants, and U visa holders in California can qualify for full-scope Medi-

Cal. California plans to expand full-scope Medi-Cal coverage to undocumented adults

ages 26 through 49 by 2024. Full-scope Medi-Cal includes primary, behavioral health,

long-term, dental and vision care to those who meet certain eligibility guidelines such as

household income based on the federal poverty level.

Improving Access Counseling and Treatment for Californians with

Prostate Cancer (IMPACT)

Food and Nutrition Assistance

Undocumented immigrants are eligible for the Women with Infants and Children program

(WIC) as well as free or reduced school meals. People who have children with U.S.

citizenship or lawful status may apply for CalFresh food assistance on behalf of their children

and do not need to provide any information about their own immigration status.

Some federal public benefits are only available to certain “qualified” immigrants. Qualified

immigrants include certain green card holders and people with certain other types of

immigration status. Many qualified immigrants have to go through a five-year waiting period

Immigrants who are “not qualified” may still be eligible for certain benefits because they

are known to the U.S. immigration authorities and considered “Permanently Residing Under

Color of Law” (PRUCOL) and therefore at lower risk of deportation.

The California benefits programs available to “not qualified” immigrants include:

Under the federal government’s current denition of public charge, many of the programs

listed above will not trigger the public charge rule. For example, use Medi-Cal, CalFresh,

housing programs, WIC, emergency and disaster relief, Head Start, free and reduced-cost

school meals, stimulus checks, tax credits, and many other benets are not part of the public

public benets programs thatdo not countfor public charge via https://www.ilrc.org/public-

charge-safe-use-list.