Webinar: Public Charge Update
[Update 9/9/2022: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a final rule. The rule restores the historical understanding of a ‘public charge’ that had been in place for decades. You can read more here.]
[Update 3/11/2021: The Trump Administration’s 2019 public charge rule is permanently blocked, nationwide. DHS/USCIS will follow the policy in the 1999 Interim Field Guidance. Under this policy, it is safe for immigrants and their families to access health, nutrition, and housing programs for which they are eligible.]
The Trump Administration proposed a new “public charge” rule that was set to take effect October 15, 2019. This proposed change made many immigrant families afraid to use public services because of the concern that this could be used against them in green card applications. But before it could take effect, the proposed rule was blocked by judges in multiple courts across the country.
So now what? What if an appeal wins and the new public charge rule is ultimately adopted? Who would be affected? What public benefits are considered in a public charge test?
Maternal and Child Health Access’s Donald Nollar and Susan Flores answer these questions and provide an update on the current status of the public charge rule.
This webinar was recorded November 4, 2019, for Hospital Liaisons and other staff in L.A. County’s Family Strengthening Network, but the information is useful for anyone who works with immigrant families.
See below for related resources.
Resources
- PowerPoint: Public Charge Update
- Protecting Immigrant Families material:
- 10 Facts About Access to Health Insurance for Immigrants and Their Families
- Public Charge Fact Sheet (Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County)