The Trump administration is proposing rules designed to impede and reduce legal immigration while threatening immigrants who use health care, nutrition, and housing benefits that they qualify for. These “public charge” proposed rules were published in the Federal Register yesterday, starting the clock on a 60-day comment period. The rules signal a shift in legal immigration policy in the U.S. that is worrisome to advocates, immigrants and employers. The uncertainty about how these rules will play out is already resulting in immigrants foregoing benefits legally available to them and their families.
The Department of Homeland Security recognizes the potential negative health outcomes and increased poverty that can result from their proposed rules. As pointed out by Dr. Goleen Samari in a Washington Post op-ed:
More than 26 million people reside in families receiving benefits with at least one immigrant member. The fear of being denied legal permanent residency could cause millions of legal immigrants to withdraw from all public programs. In fact, scaring vulnerable populations off public assistance and blocking use of public programs could cost much more in the long run, because neglecting preventive health care and basic medical problems creates chronic and complex medical problems, making patients more expensive to treat down the road.
In Congress, California Rep. Judy Chu has introduced legislation to block the use of federal funds to implement the rules. A group of 90 bipartisan mayors, including the Mayors of Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Redmond, and Tukwila, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security requesting that the “misguided rule” be abandoned.
Members of Washington State’s Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition (PIF-WA) condemned the public charge rules yesterday. They urge families to sign up and use the benefits they are currently eligible for since they will not be penalized for benefits received legally before the rule changed. NoHLA’s Huma Zarif said “Using SNAP, Medicaid or other benefits can help you and your family members become healthier, stronger, and more financially stable in the future.” The National Immigration Law Center has helpful recommendations of points to make when talking to immigrant families.
