Meeting the Needs of Asylum Seekers: Eligibility Bars Hinder States From Helping New Arrivals
By Yasmine Elkharssa
Asylum seekers have a moral and legal right to be in the United States, and we must ensure their needs are met so they can thrive. This includes access to housing, health care, nutrition assistance, workforce support, and legal assistance. However, as asylum seekers arrive in cities across the country there have been news reports about local tensions created from the idea of resource scarcity. Any scarcity is caused by restrictive eligibility policies and inadequate funding.