Immigrant families are our neighbors. They are parents, workers and community members who contribute to our schools, local economies and culture. A new federal proposal threatens to make life even more difficult for these families and harm millions of kids, including U.S. citizen children.
“Public Charge” is an immigration rule that determines whether someone applying for a green card or visa can be denied because they are likely to become primarily dependent on the government. In 2022, the Biden administration narrowly defined which programs could be considered in this determination, limiting them to a small set of benefits like TANF (which provides cash assistance) and long-term care under Medicaid.
However, the Department of Homeland Security has proposed an update and expansion to this rule that aims to create fear and confusion for immigrant communities, keeping them from getting the nutrition benefits they or their children qualify for under federal law. Immigrant families work hard, play by the rules and want the same thing every family wants: a chance to provide a bright future for their kids. Programs like school meals and temporary access to SNAP help many do that. They allow parents to keep food on the table for their kids during difficult times, so they can get back on their feet and contribute to local economies.
“We know from experience that this policy will reach far beyond those directly covered, harming countless U.S. citizen children,” shared George Kelemen, senior president of programs at No Kid Hungry. “Many families will withdraw from programs that help feed, house and keep them healthy. This means more kids in America will be at risk of hunger, of losing stable housing, of getting sick.”
Here are four things you need to know about the new proposed rule and what you can do about it.
1. This proposal creates confusion and chaos.
The proposal does not specify which benefits and programs are included in the determination for immigration applications. This opens the door for immigration officers to make arbitrary and discriminatory decisions that could include current or past use of benefits, and even affect people with disabilities.
The definition also makes it confusing whether the consequences apply to immigrant families who may be receiving benefits on behalf of eligible family members, including U.S. citizen children.
2. It will hurt kids — plain and simple.
As we recover from the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and face ongoing cuts to nutrition programs, we shouldn’t be piling on policies that make it harder for families to put food on the table. The new public charge rule will create an unnecessary spike in childhood hunger in the coming years, weakening our nation. When kids are nourished, they are healthier, better able to learn and more likely to escape the cycle of poverty. Stronger, smarter kids mean a stronger, smarter nation.
3. This rule will have a much broader chilling effect.
While public charge mostly applies to people seeking a green card primarily through a family member or those who seek to enter the U.S. from outside the country, we know from experience that this policy will reach far beyond those directly covered.
The Trump administration already launched a similar rule in 2019 during their first term. This created chaos and confusion for millions of people, affecting a wide range of families even after the rule was repealed. This is what we call the chilling effect of the policy. A 2022 Urban Institute study found that as many as 3 to 4 million eligible children in immigrant families didn’t access nutrition benefits. No Kid Hungry and other organizations have worked tirelessly to educate families, but the proposed changes are likely to undo all of this work.
4. Immigrant neighbors are already facing tough challenges, and this policy would harm communities nationwide.
Immigrants don’t live in isolation. They are an essential part of our community. Roughly half of the people in immigrant households are U.S. citizens, and most of them are children. Widespread immigration enforcement, combined with cuts to nutrition programs and soaring food prices, is pushing more immigrant families into poverty.
The effect of this will be felt in our local businesses, our grocery stores and our medical offices. When our neighbors and their kids suffer, our communities suffer.
How You Can Help
Advocate: Tell the Department of Homeland Security how this rule would increase hunger across our nation. Submit a comment to DHS, urging them to withdraw it.
Spread information, don’t spread panic: The rule is not in effect yet. Even if enacted, it will not apply to all immigrant families. It primarily affects people seeking green cards through family members and those entering the U.S. from abroad, and immigration officials review a person’s circumstances as a whole. Share accurate information from trusted partners like PIF, and encourage families to consult immigration attorneys before making decisions.
