 |
| The Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C. |
VIEWS FROM THE EDGE
A new rule proposed by the Trump administration would make it more difficult for legal immigrants to get a green card if they apply for food stamps or Medicaid, reports Vox.
Experts warn this change could cause individuals to disenroll from public benefits for fear of losing their opportunity to get a green card, leading to worse health and poverty outcomes for millions of children and families.
“This plan is outrageous. The goal of the Trump administration’s new ‘public charge’ plan is clear: to drive undocumented and immigrant communities into the shadows and tear apart families who live and work here," said Monica Thammarath, president of Asian Pacific Americans Labor Alliance. (APALA).
“There is no justification for this rule change outside of bald-faced xenophobia," said Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA and chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "The change applies to immigrants who are here legally and have done nothing to merit punishment. Immigrant families are no less entitled to food or housing support than any other person trying to get by in this unequal economy."
The proposal, long expected, were released quietly over the weekend and received minimal news coverage because most media were emphasizing coverage of teh sexual assault charges against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 presidential elections.
"This change creates a rigged immigration process that makes it impossible for all but the wealthiest to have a secure, permanent future here. Green Cards shouldn’t go to the highest bidder," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-WA. "Your actions, not your wallet, should define you in the United States. This just the latest ploy from Trump and Republicans to distract Americans from their efforts to bulldoze working families. We won’t play their games and are ready to fight tooth and nail to stop this rule.”
More than 1.5 million Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) immigrants are in families that u se public benefits to feed and sustain their families.
Once the rule is officially published on the Federal Register, the public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed rule before the Department of Homeland Security proceeds with final rulemaking.
“There is no justification for this rule change outside of bald-faced xenophobia," said Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA and chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "The change applies to immigrants who are here legally and have done nothing to merit punishment. Immigrant families are no less entitled to food or housing support than any other person trying to get by in this unequal economy."
The proposal, long expected, were released quietly over the weekend and received minimal news coverage because most media were emphasizing coverage of teh sexual assault charges against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 presidential elections.
More than 1.5 million Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) immigrants are in families that u se public benefits to feed and sustain their families.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice immediately moved to denounce the idea.
“This is a wide-reaching and incredibly depraved attack from the Trump Administration on our families. This proposed rule could discourage families from accessing the basic assistance they need in order to survive in our communities. More than 1.5 million Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) immigrants are in families that use public benefits to feed and sustain their families,” AAAJC said in a statement.
According to the civil rights law group, immigrants are already prevented from accessing most federal programs during their first five years of living in the United States.
“The proposed regulation greatly expands the federal government’s ability to reject applications for lawful permanent residency, attacking our family-based immigration system through backdoor methods,” AAAJ statement continued.
The Center for American Progress joined in the condemnation.
“It jeopardizes children in the school cafeteria lunch line, people in need of lifesaving medical care, and immigrant parents working two jobs just to put food on the table,” CAP said. “This move goes around Congress to tear families apart and reverse immigration policies and practices that have lasted for nearly a century—through Republican and Democratic administrations alike.”
The Department of Homeland Security defends the proposal, saying it will save tax dollars.
“This is a wide-reaching and incredibly depraved attack from the Trump Administration on our families. This proposed rule could discourage families from accessing the basic assistance they need in order to survive in our communities. More than 1.5 million Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) immigrants are in families that use public benefits to feed and sustain their families,” AAAJC said in a statement.
According to the civil rights law group, immigrants are already prevented from accessing most federal programs during their first five years of living in the United States.
“The proposed regulation greatly expands the federal government’s ability to reject applications for lawful permanent residency, attacking our family-based immigration system through backdoor methods,” AAAJ statement continued.
The Center for American Progress joined in the condemnation.
“It jeopardizes children in the school cafeteria lunch line, people in need of lifesaving medical care, and immigrant parents working two jobs just to put food on the table,” CAP said. “This move goes around Congress to tear families apart and reverse immigration policies and practices that have lasted for nearly a century—through Republican and Democratic administrations alike.”
The Department of Homeland Security defends the proposal, saying it will save tax dollars.
Once the rule is officially published on the Federal Register, the public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed rule before the Department of Homeland Security proceeds with final rulemaking.
“You don’t kick the cane away from a person and criticize them for not standing. But that’s what this rule is doing," said Chu. "I’m deeply worried that immigrant families who are here legally and are doing their best to get by will now go hungry because they fear being punished for using the resources our country has made available to them.”
________________________________________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment