Pacific Islander migrants from nations that have treaties with the United States are now eligible for assistance with food, housing and other federal benefits that they've been denied for decades.
The change is part of the Compact Impact Fairness Act that was signed into law this month by President Joe Biden. It's a policy that was introduced in 2021 by Hawaiʻi delegates after citizens from the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau couldn't access safety net programs due to the 1996 Welfare Reform Act.
Although it's signed into law, federal guidelines are still unclear as to when states can implement their social service programs for migrants.
"I don't think it's going to be a couple of months," said Josie Howard of We Are Oceania, a nonprofit that services Micronesians and Pacific Islanders in Hawaiʻi.
"It can also take months, up to a year. … I'm hoping by then, it's implemented," she said.
Howard said she's working alongside community advocates to spread the word, in various languages, about the new economic provision to the Micronesian communities in Hawaiʻi.
Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau can migrate to the U.S. without a visa, while the U.S. military can gain access to the land, water, and air space surrounding their islands. They share treaties called the Compacts of Free Association.
More than 18,000 Micronesians live in Hawaiʻi, and 94,000 live across the country. Many come for work, education and health care.
Under the signed law, Micronesians are now eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income, and education assistance.
The Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services oversees the SNAP and TANF programs. Scott Morishige, an administrator within the department, said he is waiting for guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Nutrition Services, and the U.S. Administration for Children and Families.
He said rolling out the programs to COFA communities may take some time.
"Part of the clarification we're waiting for is, for example, do households need to submit a new application to apply if maybe they're a member of a household currently but not eligible for the benefit?" he said. "So those are the details we're still trying to figure out logically."
However, the department has been dealing with a spike in backlogs for SNAP benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Maui wildfires.
There are more than 160,000 people currently receiving SNAP benefits in the state and Morishige said that the department has been getting an increase in calls and applications.
He said DHS gets about 1,800 calls daily regarding assistance.
Morishige added that the department gets 8,800 applications per month on average, which is twice the amount it was in February 2020.
"That's partly contributing to the backlog," he said. "We know with the opening of these benefits, there will be an increase in the number of people applying."
To help curb the department's backlog problems, Morishige said that the department is looking to revamp its phone system and hire more staff.
Despite how long the wait will be for federal programs, Howard said the new law is still beneficial to the community.
“I am no longer a burden because the resources that were there are available and also because I pay tax into both state and federal," she said. "Now I'm eligible for those services that I've been paying into that I wasn't eligible for the longest time."
"So it's a huge victory. It's a huge win," she continued. "I think our community needs to know that no matter what, they can walk tall.”
