Thousands of advocates, activists, and community members flooded the streets at Foley Square in New York City on July 12, 2019. (Photo: Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Aug 12, 2019
The Trump administration on Monday finalized a rule that could deny permanent residency--or "green cards"--to immigrants who have received public benefits such as food stamps and housing assistance, a move rights groups condemned as an attack on low-income families that could have "a dire humanitarian impact."
"This latest racially-motivated policy is a painful reminder that behind Donald Trump's bluster, bureaucrats like Stephen Miller will stop at nothing to attack immigrants and destroy our legal immigration system."
--Marielena Hincapie, National Immigration Law Center
According to CBS News, the long-anticipated policy "would require caseworkers to consider the use of government housing, food, and medical assistance such as the widely-used Section 8 housing vouchers, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicare's Part D prescription drug coverage" when examining permanent residency applications.
The 837-page rule (pdf), CBS reported, "would subject immigrant households who fall below certain income thresholds to the 'public charge' test--which would also consider how well applicants speak, read, and write English. Under the proposed rule, any diagnosed medical condition that requires extensive medical treatment would also 'weigh heavily' in evaluations by caseworkers."
Immigrant rights groups that denounced the plan when it was first unveiled in September raised alarm on Monday and vowed to take legal action against the Trump administration to stop the rule, which is now set to take effect in 62 days.
Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, called the regulation "a cruel new step toward weaponizing programs that are intended to help people by making them, instead, a means of separating families and sending immigrants and communities of color one message: you are not welcome here."
"This latest racially-motivated policy is a painful reminder that behind [President] Donald Trump's bluster, bureaucrats like [top adviser] Stephen Miller will stop at nothing to attack immigrants and destroy our legal immigration system," Hincapie said in a statement. "It will have a dire humanitarian impact, forcing some families to forego critical life-saving healthcare and nutrition. The damage will be felt for decades to come."
\u201cBREAKING: the Trump admin just finalized its "public charge" rule\u2014a race motivated wealth test on immigrant families seeking a healthy, stable future in the US. If this goes into effect, it would have a devastating impact on millions.\n\nWe WILL fight back. Stay tuned for updates.\u201d— National Immigration Law Center (@National Immigration Law Center) 1565616506
Advocacy organizations and legal experts have warned that the Trump administration's rule--which the New York Timesdescribed as a "top priority" of Miller--could force low-income immigrants to choose between vital public assistance programs and the security of permanent residency.
As The Associated Pressreported, rights groups are also "concerned the rules give too broad an authority to decide whether someone is likely to need public assistance at any time, giving immigration officials the ability to deny legal status to more people."
On Twitter, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) called the policy a "bald-faced attack on immigrant families" and vowed to resist.
"Trump's public charge rule is a xenophobic and classist attack on immigrants," said NYIC. "It won't go into effect until October 15, and we'll keep fighting it so all immigrants can lead healthy and safe lives."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
The Trump administration on Monday finalized a rule that could deny permanent residency--or "green cards"--to immigrants who have received public benefits such as food stamps and housing assistance, a move rights groups condemned as an attack on low-income families that could have "a dire humanitarian impact."
"This latest racially-motivated policy is a painful reminder that behind Donald Trump's bluster, bureaucrats like Stephen Miller will stop at nothing to attack immigrants and destroy our legal immigration system."
--Marielena Hincapie, National Immigration Law Center
According to CBS News, the long-anticipated policy "would require caseworkers to consider the use of government housing, food, and medical assistance such as the widely-used Section 8 housing vouchers, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicare's Part D prescription drug coverage" when examining permanent residency applications.
The 837-page rule (pdf), CBS reported, "would subject immigrant households who fall below certain income thresholds to the 'public charge' test--which would also consider how well applicants speak, read, and write English. Under the proposed rule, any diagnosed medical condition that requires extensive medical treatment would also 'weigh heavily' in evaluations by caseworkers."
Immigrant rights groups that denounced the plan when it was first unveiled in September raised alarm on Monday and vowed to take legal action against the Trump administration to stop the rule, which is now set to take effect in 62 days.
Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, called the regulation "a cruel new step toward weaponizing programs that are intended to help people by making them, instead, a means of separating families and sending immigrants and communities of color one message: you are not welcome here."
"This latest racially-motivated policy is a painful reminder that behind [President] Donald Trump's bluster, bureaucrats like [top adviser] Stephen Miller will stop at nothing to attack immigrants and destroy our legal immigration system," Hincapie said in a statement. "It will have a dire humanitarian impact, forcing some families to forego critical life-saving healthcare and nutrition. The damage will be felt for decades to come."
\u201cBREAKING: the Trump admin just finalized its "public charge" rule\u2014a race motivated wealth test on immigrant families seeking a healthy, stable future in the US. If this goes into effect, it would have a devastating impact on millions.\n\nWe WILL fight back. Stay tuned for updates.\u201d— National Immigration Law Center (@National Immigration Law Center) 1565616506
Advocacy organizations and legal experts have warned that the Trump administration's rule--which the New York Timesdescribed as a "top priority" of Miller--could force low-income immigrants to choose between vital public assistance programs and the security of permanent residency.
As The Associated Pressreported, rights groups are also "concerned the rules give too broad an authority to decide whether someone is likely to need public assistance at any time, giving immigration officials the ability to deny legal status to more people."
On Twitter, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) called the policy a "bald-faced attack on immigrant families" and vowed to resist.
"Trump's public charge rule is a xenophobic and classist attack on immigrants," said NYIC. "It won't go into effect until October 15, and we'll keep fighting it so all immigrants can lead healthy and safe lives."
The Trump administration on Monday finalized a rule that could deny permanent residency--or "green cards"--to immigrants who have received public benefits such as food stamps and housing assistance, a move rights groups condemned as an attack on low-income families that could have "a dire humanitarian impact."
"This latest racially-motivated policy is a painful reminder that behind Donald Trump's bluster, bureaucrats like Stephen Miller will stop at nothing to attack immigrants and destroy our legal immigration system."
--Marielena Hincapie, National Immigration Law Center
According to CBS News, the long-anticipated policy "would require caseworkers to consider the use of government housing, food, and medical assistance such as the widely-used Section 8 housing vouchers, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicare's Part D prescription drug coverage" when examining permanent residency applications.
The 837-page rule (pdf), CBS reported, "would subject immigrant households who fall below certain income thresholds to the 'public charge' test--which would also consider how well applicants speak, read, and write English. Under the proposed rule, any diagnosed medical condition that requires extensive medical treatment would also 'weigh heavily' in evaluations by caseworkers."
Immigrant rights groups that denounced the plan when it was first unveiled in September raised alarm on Monday and vowed to take legal action against the Trump administration to stop the rule, which is now set to take effect in 62 days.
Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, called the regulation "a cruel new step toward weaponizing programs that are intended to help people by making them, instead, a means of separating families and sending immigrants and communities of color one message: you are not welcome here."
"This latest racially-motivated policy is a painful reminder that behind [President] Donald Trump's bluster, bureaucrats like [top adviser] Stephen Miller will stop at nothing to attack immigrants and destroy our legal immigration system," Hincapie said in a statement. "It will have a dire humanitarian impact, forcing some families to forego critical life-saving healthcare and nutrition. The damage will be felt for decades to come."
\u201cBREAKING: the Trump admin just finalized its "public charge" rule\u2014a race motivated wealth test on immigrant families seeking a healthy, stable future in the US. If this goes into effect, it would have a devastating impact on millions.\n\nWe WILL fight back. Stay tuned for updates.\u201d— National Immigration Law Center (@National Immigration Law Center) 1565616506
Advocacy organizations and legal experts have warned that the Trump administration's rule--which the New York Timesdescribed as a "top priority" of Miller--could force low-income immigrants to choose between vital public assistance programs and the security of permanent residency.
As The Associated Pressreported, rights groups are also "concerned the rules give too broad an authority to decide whether someone is likely to need public assistance at any time, giving immigration officials the ability to deny legal status to more people."
On Twitter, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) called the policy a "bald-faced attack on immigrant families" and vowed to resist.
"Trump's public charge rule is a xenophobic and classist attack on immigrants," said NYIC. "It won't go into effect until October 15, and we'll keep fighting it so all immigrants can lead healthy and safe lives."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.