BIDDEFORD — A rule change is being proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services that would end general assistance benefits for some of Maine’s immigrant population who are here legally but are not citizens.

DHHS is proposing to align Maine’s general assistance citizen eligibility requirements to those of some state and federal benefit programs.

Under the proposed rule, “individuals who are not eligible for federal or state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or SNAP ”“ Maine’s food supplement program ”“ benefits due to citizenship status would not be eligible for general assistance,” according to a DHHS memo.

This would cut costs to the state’s taxpayers, and especially property taxpayers, who foot much of the general assistance bill, said Biddeford’s Health and Human Services Director Vicky Edgerly.

But if those benefits are ended, it could also increase homelessness, said Portland’s Director of Health and Human Services Doug Gardner.

Unlike Maine, said DHHS spokesman John Martins, “In most welfare programs, the federal government does not provide coverage for legal non-citizens for five years from their arrival date.”

The proposed change is a result the state’s work in recent years to align its programs with federal requirements, said Martins.

“The change in previous rules to align the federal requirements had a financial impact on general assistance programs,” he said, “which are funded by both the states and the municipalities.”

According to a document provided by Martins, expenditures for general assistance in Maine have been rising over the last 10 years, and at an increasingly significant rate since 2007-08.

The state’s share was $6.1 million in 2007, nearly $12 million in 2012 and that amount is expected to increase to more than $15 million in 2015.

The total general assistance expense in Maine, with local property taxpayers picking up whatever the state doesn’t, was $9.6 million in 2007, $17.4 million in 2012 and is projected to rise to nearly $24 million in 2015.

One of the reasons for this dramatic increase in general assistance costs, said Edgerly, is because of immigrants who come to the United States on temporary visas, and while in the country, they decide to apply for asylum.

In a June 10 letter to U.S. Sen. Angus King, from Edgerly and Lewiston Director of Social Services Sue Charron, they stated that Lewiston has assisted 116 asylum-seeking cases from 2001 through June 30, 2012 ”“ to the tune of $633,790. All but 10 of those cases were assisted after Jan. 1, 2008.

Portland has spent millions of dollars to support this population, according to the letter.

Gardner said he’s not sure how much Portland has spent because determining who would be affected if the rule were put in place is complicated.

Biddeford is also on the top of the list of stops for asylum-seeking immigrants looking for assistance, said Edgerly.

So far, she said, “Biddeford has yet to have anyone of this classification follow through with the required paperwork.”

But, said Edgerly, the city averages about two to three such requests per week.

Even if the request for general assistance is ultimately denied, there is an expense in going through the application process, she said.

For instance, interpreters, who get paid $50 per hour are hired when processing an application, wrote Edgerly and Charron in their letter.

“The cost of interpreters and all of the administrative time spent on these cases are paid for completely through our local property taxes,”  the letter states, “the state does not assist us with these expenses.”

Edgerly said those who come to the country on a temporary visa, with the intent to return home, but decide to apply for asylum while they’re here don’t qualify for federal or state programs.

“The federal government won’t let you come here to live on welfare,” said Edgerly. “Maine is the only state I’m aware of that allows them to be supported by the state welfare program.”

This can put a strain on general assistance and property taxpayers because of the asylum process, and time it can take to allow such immigrants to work, can take months or even years.

“I’m not passing judgment on those who come here legally as refugees,” said Edgerly, “but I don’t want people to circumvent the process.”

While Maine’s general assistance program may be more general than others toward legal non-citizens, cutting back may lead to additional problems, said Gardner.

If the proposed rule goes into effect, he said he has concerns.

“This is a relatively large group of households,” he said. If they are denied general assistance “the need of this group doesn’t go away.”

Ninety percent of general assistance funds are spent on food and shelter, he said.

If that funding stream ends, it would “create hardship and increase the number of homeless,” said Gardner.

A public hearing on the proposed rule change will take place Jan. 10 in Augusta. Public comments on the rule will be accepted through Jan. 24.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.