OneJustice Opposes Trump Administration Anti-Immigrant Proposed Changes to Public Charge Regulations

October 25, 2018  [Content Warning: Immigration]

The Trump administration has put forth another anti-immigrant proposal that serves as an attack on the health and well-being of families and communities across the country.  Building on the restrictions on immigration inherent to the Muslim ban and the punitive approach in the efforts to end the DACA program, the Administration now proposes to prevent immigrant families from seeking a permanent, secure future in the United States and to scare them away from seeking access to essential safety net programs that provide access to health care, nutrition, and housing.

OneJustice vehemently opposes the Trump administration and Department of Homeland Security’s unconscionable proposed rule change to “public charge.”  We also call on everyone in the OneJustice network to take action. It’s easy to get involved through the three simple options listed below.

On September 22, 2018, the Trump administration announced a proposed rule to make changes to “public charge” policies that govern how the use of public benefits may affect individuals’ ability to enter the U.S. or adjust to legal permanent resident (LPR) status (i.e., obtain a “green card”).  These proposed changes are a blatant attack on immigrant families, and function as an attempt to shutter family reunification through legal immigration. Under the proposed changes to “public charge”, many U.S. citizens would no longer be able to welcome their own parents, or spouse, into the U.S. because the rule arbitrarily considers age and income – which strongly disfavor elderly and low-income adults. This reunification and strengthening of families and our communities greatly contributes to our national economy.

Furthermore, these changes would also make the use of many public benefits, from health care to nutrition support to housing, a disqualifier for green-card eligibility.  Such lose-lose choices betray one of our nation’s core values of welcoming immigrants and fostering strong, and thriving, families.

These United States were founded on principles of liberty and justice for all, and these proposed changes make it abundantly clear that under Trump’s administration, these principles only hold true for the wealthy, educated and white. It is unconscionable to make a person choose between reuniting with their parents, their children, their families or them receiving essential public services.

Luckily, we are not silenced in this fight; there is something that we can do. Under federal law, the Trump administration is required to read and respond to every unique comment before it can finalize its harmful proposed regulations. Together, we can stop this.

Raise your voice and fight back on the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant proposal.

Here are three easy ways to get involved:

#1: Submit comments opposing the proposed rule changes during the 60-day comment period. It’s easy to do so at www.protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/#take-action, by the national Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF) Campaign. You can use their prepared statement or write your own personal statement.

#2. Share this post on your  social media and to your networks to get more people to also submit comments.

#3. Share personal stories with OneJustice’s Communications Associate, Fredrick Ghai (fghai@one-justice.org) about the detrimental impact this proposal would have for your family or how public assistance programs help your community thrive and excel. Only with your consent, OneJustice will use these stories for media and other advocacy efforts.

For more information about public charge and resources from the PIF Campaign that is mobilizing against the proposed rule, visit www.protectingimmigrantfamilies.org.  To read the Kaiser Family Foundation’s overview of the proposed rule changes and their likely impact on health, visit https://www.kff.org/disparities-policy/fact-sheet/proposed-changes-to-public-charge-policies-for-immigrants-implications-for-health-coverage/.

If you have questions about how these changes might impact your family, or are having any other immigration issues, please seek advice from an accredited immigration legal service provider. Here is a group of nonprofit organizations funded by the California Department of Social Services to provide immigration assistance throughout the state.