Immigrants Are Avoiding Food, Medical Benefits Because Of Proposed Trump Rule
A rule proposed by the Trump administration is prompting immigrant families including U.S. citizens to avoid or drop food, medical and housing benefits provided by the government out of fear that enrollment would prevent family members from securing permanent residency, according to a new report.
A study by the Urban Institute found that more than 13% of adults in immigrant families said they were not participating in public programs such as food stamps and subsidized housing due to concerns that the so-called “public charge” rule being finalized by the government would hinder their ability to obtain green cards. The number of immigrants reporting this fear has risen to 20.7% among low-income families.
The report, based on interviews with nearly 2,000 adult immigrants in December 2018, is the first national study to quantify the “chilling effect” immigration advocates and medical practitioners have denounced since a draft of the controversial rule surfaced in 2017.
The proposal was published to the Federal Register last fall and the government is expected to roll out and implement a final rule this year.
Immigration authorities currently ask green card applicants to prove they won’t be a burden on the country, but the new regulation, if enacted, would require caseworkers to consider the use of government housing, food and medical assistance. It will also consider how well applicants speak, read and write English.
