LITTLE ROCK, AR -- People who are not U.S. citizens may be eligible for disaster assistance for damage from natural disasters like tornadoes, floods and snow storms.



Disaster assistance is available to residents and businesses in the all counties declared disaster areas.



The aid is available to U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals and qualified aliens. Qualified aliens include those with legal permanent residence (shown by green cards). Their status will not be jeopardized by requesting disaster assistance.



A minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien can have a parent or guardian who is not eligible apply for assistance on the child’s behalf. No information will be gathered on the adult’s immigration status.



The status of qualified alien includes: legal permanent residents (those with green cards), those with refugee or asylum status, those whose deportation has been withheld, those on parole into the U.S. for at least one year for humanitarian purposes, those with conditional entry, those who are Cuban-Haitian entrants, and those with petitions for relief based on battery or extreme cruelty by a family member.



The application for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires applicants to certify that they are either U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals or qualified aliens. Assistance can be given as long as someone in the household is entitled to it, and no information will be gathered regarding the status of others in the household.



Undocumented immigrants from a household with no one eligible for cash assistance from FEMA may still be eligible for programs run by state, local or voluntary agencies. They may also be eligible for short-term, non-cash aid from FEMA, such as ...