AfghanEvac Explainer · Washington & Oregon
The Pacific Northwest kept more of the net, in different places.
Washington and Oregon both spent their own money to soften the federal cuts, but each protected a different piece. Washington keeps feeding immigrants cut from SNAP; Oregon covers health regardless of status. Here is what each state still offers and where Afghan families can get help. Read this alongside our national explainer at afghanevac.org/obbb.
Washington
Washington: food is the strong backstop.
Washington used its budget to keep feeding immigrants cut from federal SNAP, and it covers kids, pregnancy, and emergencies. Its all-status adult health program, though, is full.
Food Assistance Program (FAP)
Washington funds a state Food Assistance Program that keeps SNAP-level food benefits for legal immigrants cut from federal SNAP, explicitly including refugees, asylees, parolees, SIV holders, TPS holders, and trafficking survivors. Apply the same way as Basic Food, at WashingtonConnection.org or 877-501-2233.
Kids, pregnancy, and emergencies
Washington covers lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant women with no five-year wait, plus Apple Health for Pregnant Individuals and Alien Emergency Medical for emergencies.
Apple Health Expansion is closed
Washington’s all-status adult health program is capped and enrollment is closed, with a long waitlist. Do not count on it for adults losing federal Medicaid on October 1, 2026. Children, pregnancy, and emergency coverage are the reliable routes. About 20,000 Washington enrollees are set to lose Apple Health that day.
Oregon
Oregon: health is the strong backstop.
Oregon covers health regardless of immigration status with no cap, which can catch adults losing federal Medicaid. Its gap is food.
Healthier Oregon
Healthier Oregon provides full Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) benefits to residents of all ages who meet income limits, regardless of immigration status, with no enrollment cap. It can catch humanitarian immigrants who lose federal Medicaid, and it is not a public charge concern.
Children and pregnant residents
Oregon covers lawfully residing immigrant children, and Healthier Oregon covers pregnant residents regardless of status, so pregnancy care is protected even though Oregon did not take the separate children-and-pregnancy option.
No state food program
Oregon has no state-funded food program to replace SNAP, and the Food for All Oregonians bill failed in 2025. For food, use the Oregon Food Bank network and local pantries, which serve everyone regardless of status.
What to do in the Northwest
Use the backstop your state built.
The right move depends on which state you live in. Start here.
Washington: apply for Basic Food, which screens for FAP
Apply for food help at WashingtonConnection.org or 877-501-2233, or a local Community Services Office. The state screens automatically for the Food Assistance Program if federal SNAP is closed to you. Oregon: enroll in the Oregon Health Plan through benefits.oregon.gov to reach Healthier Oregon coverage.
Keep coverage for children and pregnancy
Both states cover lawfully residing children, and both protect pregnancy care. Do not let this coverage lapse, and answer any renewal notice by the deadline.
Fill the other gap with local help
In Washington, use food banks for anything FAP does not cover. In Oregon, use the Oregon Food Bank network for food and Healthier Oregon for health.
Make sure you were not cut off illegally
You must get written notice before coverage ends, and you have the right to a fair hearing. If your status still qualifies, or the notice looks wrong, challenge it and respond by every deadline.
Get to permanent status
A green card is what restores federal eligibility. Use V-PRIC to see your pathway, and the organizations below to move your case.
Where to turn
Organizations serving Afghan families in Washington and Oregon.
These organizations offer resettlement, benefits navigation, and legal help. Confirm current capacity, since federal funding cuts in 2025 reduced staffing at many agencies.
Washington: offices and help lines
WA DSHS Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance
dshs.wa.gov/esa/office-refugee-and-immigrant-assistance
State refugee office. Cash, food, and medical assistance through WashingtonConnection.org.
International Rescue Committee (Seattle area)
206-623-2105 · rescue.org/united-states/seattle-wa
Resettlement, employment, and immigration services. Office in Renton.
World Relief Western Washington
253-277-1121 · worldrelief.org/western-wa
Resettlement and Afghan programming, based in Kent, with Spokane and Tri-Cities offices.
Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA)
Multilingual case management, English classes, behavioral health, and services for refugee and immigrant women and families.
Afghan Health Initiative
Afghan-led health access, case management, and family services in the Kent and King County area.
Oregon: offices and help lines
Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
Portland-based resettlement, employment, housing, and legal services, with a Greater Middle East program serving Afghans.
Catholic Charities of Oregon, Refugee Services
971-222-1883 · catholiccharitiesoregon.org/services/migrant-services/refugee-services
Case management, housing, and cultural orientation; serves Afghan and Iraqi SIV holders.
SOAR Immigration Legal Services
Low-cost immigration legal services, including asylum, SIV, and adjustment, a program of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.
Verify before you rely. Confirm hours and capacity before traveling to any office. Afghan-led and Afghan-serving teams often provide the most culturally grounded help.
Go deeper
The national picture, and your pathway.
This Northwest guide sits alongside our national explainer of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. For the full breakdown of what changed federally and how permanent status restores benefits, start there, and use V-PRIC to map your pathway.
This guide summarizes federal, Washington, and Oregon policy for informational purposes and is not legal advice. It reflects the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21, enacted July 4, 2025) and state program rules as of September 24, 2026. Program funding, eligibility, and enrollment caps change frequently and turn on your specific immigration category. Confirm your own situation with your state benefits office, a qualified immigration attorney, or a Department of Justice accredited representative. AfghanEvac is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.