***For Immediate Release***
Monday, August 12, 2019
Contact: Magdalena Cazarez
Communications Director
Office: (402) 438-8853 Ext 119
Cell: (402) 504-0074
mcazarez@neappleseed.org
Final Public Charge policy blocks aspiring Americans from becoming lawful permanent residents
The health and wellbeing of families will be greatly impacted, including U.S. citizen children
LINCOLN – Today, the Trump administration finalized a harmful, sweeping change to long-standing immigration policy that limits aspiring Americans’ ability to become lawful permanent residents if they have used certain work-support programs that help hardworking families continue their jobs and move out of poverty.
This new policy drastically reshapes our immigration system in favor of the wealthy and expands on a century-old practice of penalizing immigrant families when they struggle to make ends meet. The new rule significantly expands the number of public assistance and temporary safety net programs that can be counted against a person to block them from a pathway to lawful permanent residence. Last year, more than a quarter million people commented in opposition to the rule and in support of families. Nebraska Appleseed’s Immigrants & Communities Program Director, Darcy Tromanhauser, released the following statement on the new policy:
“This policy is another in a long line of harsh, anti-immigrant policies proposed by the administration that threatens the stability of hardworking families and sows fear and uncertainty in communities across the country. The administration is punishing immigrant families, particularly those of color, for access to critical programs that provide healthy food, health care, and housing.
“We need policies that build safe, healthy, and thriving communities. The best way to build thriving communities is to ensure families have the tools they need to meet their basic needs, while they contribute their skills and hard work to our communities. But the changes would put families at risk if an immigrant relative seeks access to health coverage or food assistance.
“Working families should be able to meet their basic needs – keep the lights on, feed their kids, see a doctor – without fear of losing their chance to become lawful permanent residents. Our communities will thrive if families can stay together and get the care, services, and support they need to remain healthy and productive. We call on our Members of Congress to speak up against the administration’s anti-family attempts and pass legislation to block the rule.”