“Public Charge” inflicts private pain on kids

In case anyone still believes there is a gray area around the motives behind the Trump administration’s anti-immigration stance, things just got black and white.

The Department of Homeland Security has informed the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that it will be seeking massive changes to longstanding policy about which immigrants would be considered a “public charge,” someone who is primarily dependent on the government.

Currently, a public charge means those who receive cash assistance or long-term care in an institution at the expense of government. If an immigrant was deemed likely to fall into either category, they could be denied admission to the U.S., denied lawful permanent residency, or even deported.  The whole point of this is to keep dependent individuals from countries where social safety nets don’t exist or are weak from seeking citizenship in the U.S. 

Under the new proposal, however, immigration officials will now consider any public service, including child care, Head Start, or other federally backed children services that an immigrant parent accesses for their children as evidence of dependency, and as a result a viable reason for deportation or rejection of a citizenship request. 

This measure only hits law-abiding hopefuls seeking a better life for their children and lawful immigrants who played by the rules.

Fearful of harming their immigration status or future opportunities, immigrant families already fear availing themselves of the government programs meant to help them. But this broadening of the “public charge” designation will force families to choose between protecting their legal status and making sure their children are safe while they are at work, or enrolled in the very programs we know will help ensure their children succeed in school. 

This move is particularly painful this week as PCCY just completed our week of free dental care for children. Nearly 40% of the children we served came from non-English-speaking households (an increase from last year), underscoring the broader unmet need for health insurance coverage we currently face. 

The federal policy meant to send a chill through the immigrant community ignores the fact that immigrants create new businesses and jobs, they contribute greatly in tax revenue. In Philadelphia, immigrants paid more than $6 billion in taxes in a single year and received fewer benefits than other taxpayers receive, according to PA AG Josh Shapiro and Mayor Jim Kenney, in a recent commentary regarding another anti-immigrant policy change: Asking census respondents whether they are a U.S. citizen.  

Make no mistake, this “public charge” attack will affect everyone because of the costly economic, public health, workforce, child welfare, and educational consequences.  That’s why PCCY asked Mayor Kenney’s office to request a meeting with the Federal Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to present the facts. The meeting, which Mayor Kenney officially requested this week, must occur before the Department of Homeland Security’s changes become the new rule.

As we did in the fight for CHIP, although the children in this case may not be Americans, they are our neighbors’ kids, the students in our schools, on their behalf we must also take action to protect and enhance their lives.  

Call your U.S. lawmakers today and tell them to oppose this perverse definition of “public charge.”

CALL: 202-225-3121