The Trump administration is forcing immigrants make the impossible choice between health care or a green card. Under a new proposed rule, immigrants who apply for or use public benefits like food stamps, Medicaid, and public housing would be denied visas, green cards, and even have grounds to be deported.
The public charge rule— named for an outdated government term for people using public benefits— punishes families in need. If passed, it would affect over 24 million people and force mothers to make life-threatening decisions for their children, like choosing between housing assistance or a green card.
TODAY is the final day to submit public comments against this rule. Daily Kos is partnering with the Protecting Immigrant Families coalition to submit comments. So far we’ve delivered over 189,000 comments. We have until the end of the day to reach our goal of 200,000.
Submit a unique comment here to let the Trump administration know we do not endorse this xenophobic hate.
The proposed public charge rule is a civil rights issue. Patrice S. Lawrence, the National Policy and Advocacy Director at the UndocuBlack Network explains why:
Civil Rights leaders fought for our rights to access public benefits. It has been long understood that the wellbeing of our communities begins with the individual health of each member of our families. As such, there are resources allocated for all our communities so that we have healthy, thriving children, families and nation. Anything contrary to this harms us all.
Under this rule, if families use public benefits, their relatives abroad would never be granted visas to reunite with them. Even though the rule hasn’t been passed, over 18 states have already seen significant decrease in enrollment in government assistance programs.
First Trump tore migrant families apart. Then he threatened to revoke birthright citizenship. Now, he is doing everything he can to make sure no immigrants thriving in this country. We must do everything we can to stop him.
Submit a unique comment here. Rise against this anti-immigrant violence.
Here are some 5 sample ideas to help you make your comment here. It only takes two minutes to speak up for immigrants who will be hurt by this rule.
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Families need each other—we share household responsibilities with each other including childcare and housing. This rule change will cause uncertainty and financial hardship for many families across all backgrounds and ethnicities.
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The proposed public charge rule change is another attempt at maintaining the status quo. Working class families will be forced to forgo public benefits that would have elevated them from poverty, leaving them with little to no chance of entering the middle class.
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Health, nutrition, and housing supports are the assistance that working class communities need to improve the quality of life for generations. Anyone interested in challenging the war on poor people must fight for programs that support immigrants’ ability to access a better standard of living.
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Attacks that paint people of color as undeserving when they receive the kinds of help that many low- and moderate-income white families receive is a tactic that Black families understand all too well. Punishing immigrants and their U.S. citizen family members for relying on healthcare and nutrition programs builds upon the shameful but effective practice of stigmatizing public programs and the people who participate in them.
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Just because someone is going through hard times now doesn’t mean that they may not flourish in the future. Many of us have needed and may need support during challenging times even in cases where we are working full-time jobs. It is with continuous stable immigration status that many people are able to attain higher wages and better quality of life.
No family should have to choose between essential care for their children or basic safety and shelter. The public charge rule forces them to choose. Take a moment today to defeat Trump’s proposed public charge rule.
