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Read comments (13)DHS Field Supervisor Lisa Cowell stated during a town hall meeting Friday with State Sen. Jim Tracy that that 9,000 families in Bedford County were on food stamps at an annual cost of $8 million.
Immigrants, legal or otherwise, get the benefits for their U.S. born children, but the money goes to the parent. About 60 percent of the food stamps money go to illegal immigrants or those who are here legally, Cowell said at the meeting.
However, according to Michelle Mowery Johnson, Director of Communications, the 60 percent figure "was actually an answer to Sen. Tracy's question about how many families are coming through the doors at the Bedford County DHS office."
"There's a big difference in the number of people coming through the door and those that actually qualify for the program," the spokesperson said Monday.
According to figures supplied by DHS, the breakdown for families on the Food Stamp program in Bedford County are: 72 percent white, blacks making up 14 percent, Hispanics with 13 percent and "other" totalling one percent.
In the month of January 2008, Bedford County had a total of 7,308 individuals, 3,312 households participating in the food stamp program at a cost of $789,572. Statewide, the figure is 901,834 people on food stamps, making up 404,541 households at a cost of $91,949,042.
Mowery Johnson said that food stamps are also 100 percent federally funded and that the USDA has strict guidelines on what can and cannot be purchased with the Food Stamp dollars. The TANF/Families First program is a mixture of both federal and state dollars.
"We want to be very clear -- illegal immigrants are not entitled to Food Stamp, TANF/Families First or ongoing TennCare/Medicaid benefits," Mowery Johnson said.
IF YOU DONT LIKE WHATS GOING ON RUN FOR OFFICE YOUR SELF
-- Posted by c t brown on Wed, Mar 5, 2008, at 9:02 AM
You say that illegals are not allowed to receive any benefits from the states food stamp program? Yet, when someone calls to report a person(known to be illegal) using an EBT card to pay for their groceries, they are told they will have to provide the full name, date of birth, S.S.#, and current address before any investigation can take place. At least, this is what I was told when I called.
The problem is that DHS staffing is calculated based on the current caseload, so there is absolutely no incentive to stop people from abusing the system!
I don't mind giving a helping hand if needed because someday I might need one myself. I do not think illegal immigrants deserve the rights to any federal or state help. However, I also believe we have many Americans abusing the system too. Why should they eat T-bones and I am lucky to get hamburger? I also feel if you are on foodstamps and/or W.I.C. you shouldn't be buying the most expensive things. It should be storebrand or the cheapest. I cannot afford Purity milk and found storebrand is just fine. These people need to learn the same.
There needs to be a consitutional amendment effort to not allow children born here to be automatic citizens. Canada doesn't do it nor do most countrys. This has to stop now. They are breeding like rabbits for this purpose.
NOT only do they get all the food stamps/cash/etc. NOW they claim they are not living with husbands or others have boyfriends and they have filed 2007 taxes and get thousands of dollars back and are also going to get the rebates and guess what no red flag goes up on ss/numbers when they file so what is wrong with that picture,if you are old and have bad health problems you get the door closed on you and get nothing
I tried to argue this point with someone on a blog several months ago but they didn't believe me!
It's not the immigrant part I have a problem with, it's the illegal part. Illegal is just that, illegal, and they should not be on any government services.
ILLEGAL! Are these people freaking retarded? Illegal, it means unlawful, against the law, prohibited, illegitimate, CRIMINAL.
I don't care if they pop out a dozen of their spawn on American soil, they can take them back with them. Then when they are 18, they can apply for citizenship, through the appropriate channels.
Immigrants, legal or otherwise, get the benefits for their U.S. born children, but the money goes to the parent. About 60 percent of the food stamps money go to illegal immigrants or those who are here legally, Cowell said at the meeting.........
Well I feel better now KNOWING how my FEDERAL DOLLARS are spent! When is TN going to "Help low wage AMERICAN people"?
My other question is "when are they gonna start "asking" are you legal?
You are right EM....just like the 72% of WHITE people on the program get an increase in benefits for every kid they "pop out of their loins".
I don't understand why the food stamp office looks at what people gross--not what they bring home. And they don't even count out any bills that people have to pay. Say child care for instance. I paid $2700 out of pocket this past year alone for my child to go to day care. And I did apply for help when I first moved to Shelbyville and I was denied because they said I made too much money. I used to work at Save A Lot and I can tell you that I saw so many people that were Hispanic, Somalian or the "other" as stated in this story that came in with a wad of money--mostly 20's--and a food stamp card on an everyday basis! But I made too much money at 5.75 an hour to even qualify! I do believe they have this one all messed up! I totally see your point EM!
I don't understand why the food stamp office looks at what people gross--not what they bring home. And they don't even count out any bills that people have to pay. Say child care for instance. I paid $2700 out of pocket this past year alone for my child to go to day care. And I did apply for help when I first moved to Shelbyville and I was denied because they said I made too much money. I used to work at Save A Lot and I can tell you that I saw so many people that were Hispanic, Somalian or the "other" as stated in this story that came in with a wad of money--mostly 20's--and a food stamp card on an everyday basis! But I made too much money at 5.75 an hour to even qualify! I do believe they have this one all messed up! I totally see your point EM!
"We want to be very clear -- illegal immigrants are not entitled to Food Stamp, TANF/Families First or ongoing TennCare/Medicaid benefits," Mowery Johnson said.
BUT if they have children here, and keep having them they are entitled to as much as they can pop out of their loins.