She was a foreign exchange student. When we applied for her green card (which wasn't green, BTW), we had to sign papers that stated in no uncertain terms that at no time was she allowed to be a financial burden on the state. Applying for any form of public assistance, including food stamps, would've been grounds for her being deported. She was a legal immigrant and we complied with the law even when things were tough for us financially.

I don't know when the law changed or why. It doesn't seem like a good idea to be always expanding the public assistance rolls except in dire emergencies.