15.2.7 - Citizenship Status and Household Food Security

Citizenship Status and Food Security. In light of recent policy discussions as to whether people who are not U.S. citizens should be able to receive benefits from the Food Stamp Program, it is also of interest to examine associations between citizenship status and food security among A2H client households. Table 15.2.7 presents the relevant data.

Table 15.2.7

CITIZENSHIP STATUS AND HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY Citizenship Status of Clients at Program Sites         All Client Households Households Represented by Citizen Clients-1-   Households Represented by Noncitizen Clients Food secure 29.4% 29.7% 24.5% Food insecure without hunger 33.9% 33.8% 36.9% Food insecure with hunger 36.7% 36.5% 39.6% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% SAMPLE SIZE (N) 31,976 29,983 1,993

Notes 
Item nonresponses to all variables involved were excluded in calculating percentages and sample sizes.

Statistically significant based on chi-square test (d.f. = 2) at the 1% level.

1. Households represented by respondents who are U.S. citizens.

 
 
As shown in the table, rates of food insecurity and of hunger are somewhat greater among households represented by noncitizens than among those represented by citizens. In particular,

• 39.6% of the noncitizen households are classified as experiencing hunger, compared to 36.5% of the citizen households.
• The comparable rates for food insecure without hunger are 36.9% and 33.8%, respectively.