The Trump Administration published a proposed rule change that jeopardizes the health and well-being of California’s children. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published the proposed change to the “public charge” test, that would drastically and harmfully alter a rule that has been part of federal immigration law for decades. If the “public charge” rule is finalized in its proposed form, this would mark a significant and harmful departure from long standing immigration policy. The proposal would make – and has already made – immigrant families afraid to seek programs that support their basic needs.
Nearly half of our state’s children live in immigrant families. The way this policy is designed, it will most deeply harm lawfully present immigrants and their children, and “mixed-status” families, where some members are citizens and others are not. The rule change targets immigrant families who make up the fabric of California, who contribute socially, economically, and civically to our communities and our state, and forces families to choose between ensuring children have food, health care, and housing, and keeping their families together.
Your voice matters!
Submit comments opposing the “public charge” rule change to the USCIS by Monday, December 10th.
The public has 60 days to tell the government why this rule is harmful to children and families by submitting comments through an official notice-and-comment period. Anyone can submit comments opposing the rule change, so please submit your own comments and share this campaign with your networks. This campaign is part of a national effort, the Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign, to ensure more than 100,000 individual comments are submitted opposing the rule change. Let’s make sure California has strong representation in this effort!
Click here for more information on the public charge test
Find more resources at the Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign: https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/
