HF Statement on Proposed Changes to the Public Charge Rule
September 26, 2018 (New York, NY) – Hispanic Federation President José Calderón has issued the following statement on Trump’s administration proposed changes to the “public charge” rule.
“Over the weekend, the Trump Administration announced a draft rule change that would enable it to deny green cards and visas to immigrants who are here legally or are applying for U.S. entry and who receive or are likely to receive some public benefits. It’s difficult to imagine something as cruel as forcing immigrant families and their children to choose between their legal status and their survival but that is precisely what this planned action by the White House is intended to do. Like so many of the Trump Administration's past actions, this proposed rule change is yet another attack on immigrants and poor working families whose countries of origin and skin color are offensive to this President and his cabinet members. “If enacted, this new rule change will have a catastrophic effect on immigrant families who are here and struggle to access health care, food, and housing, It is painful to note that the groups most hurt by this action will be the children of immigrants, many of whom are dependent on programs such as children’s health insurance and WIC (Supplemental Nutritional Program for Women, Infants and Children), and the immigrant elderly, who depend greatly on programs such as Medicaid and Medicare for health insurance.
“The impact of this rule change will also be heavily felt by Latino and other nonprofits who are on the front-lines of enrolling our families in government assistance programs, and who will be tasked to figure out how to support entire communities who will be denied the most basic level of safety net support.
“Hispanic Federation stands united with its affiliates in denouncing this proposed action by the Trump Administration, and is committed to working with allies across the country to fight this inhumane and cruel policy in the courts, in Congress and at the ballot box.”
