mmigrant rights groups are targeting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to cut food and health assistance programs for legal immigrants by launching a letter-writing campaign critical of the plan.
The California Immigrant Policy Center officials are urging constituents to write to their representatives by Tuesday to save the programs.
In light of a looming state deficit, Schwarzenegger's proposal cuts a host of programs for legal immigrants, especially those who have been permanent residents for less than 5 years.
"Once again, California's most vulnerable residents are being asked to shoulder the burden of balancing the state's budget," the policy center's officials wrote in a statement to the press.
Here are some of the proposed cuts:
•Cut Medi-Cal for newly qualified legal immigrants and other legal immigrants to save $118 million.
•Elimination of CalWORKS benefits for new legal immigrants. The program provides cash assistance, job training and child care among other services to low-income families.
•Do away with the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, which provides benefits to seniors and persons with disabilities who are legal immigrants and are not eligible for federal benefits.
•Elimination of the California Food Assistance Program for legal immigrants who are not eligible for the federal food stamps program. The move would save the state about $60 million over the next two years.
