# What the LIFT the BAR Act Actually Does

The LIFT the BAR Act is designed to expand access to federal benefits for certain noncitizens who are legally present in the United States. Right now, federal law places significant restrictions on which immigrants can receive benefits like food assistance, Medicaid, housing help, and child nutrition programs. This bill would remove many of those restrictions.

Currently, most noncitizens—even those legally living and working in the country—are barred from accessing federal safety net programs for five years after arriving, and some categories of immigrants are permanently excluded. The bill would eliminate these waiting periods and restrictions for people who are "lawfully present" in the U.S., which includes green card holders, people with work permits, DACA recipients (those protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program), and other immigrants authorized to be in the country. The bill also expands the definition of who counts as lawfully present to include people from freely associated Pacific nations who live here legally under international agreements.

The practical changes would affect several major programs. Eligible noncitizens would gain access to SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, child health insurance, school lunch and breakfast programs, and federal housing assistance. The bill also makes a technical change to allow noncitizens earning very low incomes to qualify for health insurance tax credits. Additionally, the bill changes the language throughout federal law from "alien" to "noncitizen," which is a terminology update reflecting modern usage.

The bill would take effect 180 days after federal agencies issue guidance on how to implement it, giving states and agencies time to prepare their systems. This primarily affects noncitizens who are already legally authorized to work and live in the United States—it does not change immigration law or create new pathways to legal status.

LIFT the BAR Act of 2021

Jayapal, Pramila

Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act of 2021 or the LIFT the BAR Act of 2021 This bill repeals certain limits on the eligibility of noncitizens who lawfully reside in the United States for federal means-tested programs, including Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), programs funded through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and certain nutrition and housing programs.