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The COVID-19 pandemic and economic crises have hit immigrants and their families especially hard, and Trump Administration policies and rhetoric are only deepening the harm. In particular, the Administration’s punitive and confusing ”public charge” rule has stopped many immigrants and their family members from accessing medical care, health coverage, nutrition assistance, and other sorely needed aid.
The Administration should suspend the public charge rule and make it clear that accessing government supports during the public health and economic crisis will not harm families later.
Forgoing health care, nutrition assistance, and other crucial supports during this crisis will have serious consequences, leaving people without the treatment they need and making it more likely that families and children will face serious economic hardship including eviction and food insecurity.
But there’s even more the Trump Administration can do:
- Withdraw its rule that would bar certain families that include immigrants from accessing housing assistance
- Automatically extend work authorization for people who have DACA and Temporary Protected statuses
The Administration should focus on ensuring that all people living in the United States have the support they need to get through this crisis alive and as well positioned economically as possible.
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