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Both black boxes recovered in aftermath of deadly DC midair collision; Advocates call on AL lawmakers for prison reform; Path to Medicaid expansion in MS remains uncertain; Trump nominee Gabbard faces tough questions from Republicans; US elected officials file a legal motion opposing end to birthright citizenship.

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President Trump's latest executive actions on aviation safety, education and birthright citizenship spark debates. Critics say they threaten civil rights, while supporters say they support competency.

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As bird flu spreads, egg prices continue to soar, wildfires aren't stopping Americans from moving to wildfire-prone states, and post-pandemic infrastructure isn't just roads and bridges but also education, healthcare and economic opportunity.

New bill would extend food benefits to undocumented Oregonians

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025   

In the face of rising hunger across the state of Oregon, new legislation would extend food assistance benefits to undocumented children and older adults.

Recent data show one in six children in Oregon and Southwest Washington face food insecurity, with rates growing twice as fast in rural communities.

The Food for All Oregonians bill is part of a broader immigrant justice package, backed by a coalition of over 155 organizations.

Andrea Vanessa Castillo, policy and advocacy manager for the Oregon Latino Health Coalition, is part of the steering committee.

"Despite working on farms that grow much of the nation's food, the Latina community members are facing barriers that perpetuate these cycles of food insecurity," Castillo explained.

The bill would create a new, state-run program similar to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program run by the U.S. Department of Human Services.

Castillo pointed to 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture data showing nearly a quarter of Latino households had at least one member who faced food insecurity. Castillo added the bill is about preventing health problems that come with not having access to healthy or traditional food.

"We want to keep people from getting to this space by having access to foods that not only make people feel joy from eating, but that contribute to the nutrition in a very culturally specific way," Castillo emphasized.

Oregon Food Bank saw record visits last year across the state, up over 30% from 2023. Only children and older adults would qualify for food assistance under the new bill and the coalition hopes to expand the benefits to all undocumented Oregonians in the future.


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