A friend who works in WA public education forwarded this note he received today from the office of Senator Patty Murray. The content is guidance from the Senator’s office regarding the free and reduced lunch program and immigration status in the context of that program. What I read the Senators office advising Washington State public schools that immigration status is irrelevant when considering a student's eligibility to receive free and reduced price meals. She also says that there is no data collected in the administration of the program that could be indicate nationality or citizenship status. Other agencies are forbidden by lay to use this data to target the families of students for immigration enforcement action. But families don't know this and are questioning their very safety if the data were to be used that way. The hope comes in that Sen Murray felt so moved by this dismay felt by families in her district that she directed her office to send this communique. She needs our support to continue doing this kind of good work. Her office contact number is at bottom. Give her a message of positive reinforcement.
The letter
From Senator Patty Murray's office:
As you all know the free and reduced lunch program is not about immigration status, it is based on income and serving children and families that meet the criteria through income needs. The program by design is for assisting children obtain healthy nutritional food during the school day ( afterschool programs too) and addresses whole child services for the community as well as the school system. Our policy team reinforced the concept “ immigration status is not a factor in qualifying for free or reduced price school lunch/breakfast programs. Districts aren’t required to ask for it on the verification forms sent to a small sample size of parents, so the policy team doubts there is a way that the new administration could even identify students or parents of students who are undocumented if the intention is to target them.” Federal law clearly states that immigration status cannot be a factor for participation in the free and reduced lunch program. 8 USC 1615. Participation in the program is based largely on income-based needs to ensure children obtain healthy nutritional food during the school day.
I hope this helps as we have been getting phone calls at our office as well and we are putting out the same message- that free and reduce lunch is not about immigration status, it is about feeding children who are eligible so no child goes hungry in the school day and is set for success with the support systems established.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. You can certainly email me if more developments arise or if an increase in query occurs.
Raquel Ferrell Crowley | Central Washington Director
Senator Patty Murray
402 E. Yakima Avenue Suite 390| Yakima, WA | 98901
O 509.453.7462 | F 509.453.7731
