U.S. Citizenship Not Required For Disaster Assistance
Release Date: February 25, 2008
Release Number: 1744-025
» More Information on Arkansas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
LITTLE ROCK People who are not U.S. citizens may be eligible for disaster assistance for damage from the Feb. 5 tornadoes.
Disaster assistance is available to residents and businesses in the counties of Baxter, Conway, Izard, Marion, Pope, Randolph, Sharp, Stone, Union and Van Buren.
The aid is available to U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals and qualified aliens. Qualified aliens include those with legal permanent residence (shown by green cards). Their status will not be jeopardized by requesting disaster assistance.
A minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien can have a parent or guardian who is not eligible apply for assistance on the childs behalf. No information will be gathered on the adults immigration status.
The status of qualified alien includes:
- legal permanent residents (those with green cards),
- those with refugee or asylum status,
- those whose deportation has been withheld,
- those on parole into the U.S. for at least one year for humanitarian purposes,
- those with conditional entry,
- those who are Cuban-Haitian entrants,
- and those with petitions for relief based on battery or extreme cruelty by a family member.
The application for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires applicants to certify that they are either U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals or qualified aliens. Assistance can be given as long as someone in the household is entitled to it, and no information will be gathered regarding the status of others in the household.
Undocumented immigrants from a household with no one eligible for cash assistance from FEMA may still be eligible for programs run by state, local or voluntary agencies. They may also be eligible for short-term, non-cash aid from FEMA, such as disaster legal services.
Assistance for eligible individuals and small businesses includes funds for temporary housing and necessary home repairs, individual and household grants, disaster unemployment assistance, low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration and other programs.
Applicants with damage from the disaster can register for state and federal assistance at 1- 800-621-FEMA (3362), or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open from 7 a.m. to midnight seven days-a-week.
ADEM and FEMA work together to coordinate the federal and state governments' roles in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
FEMAs temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. Also, you cannot be denied assistance for reporting discrimination or abuse. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or contact your state Office of Equal Rights. If suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs, please contact the fraud hotline at 1-800-323-8603.
Last Modified: Monday, 25-Feb-2008 17:03:28