Whew! As the summer wears on and some things feel uglier than ever (did you see those comments from Rep. Steve King (R-IA) yesterday?!), I’m feeling driven by the same question voting rights advocate and all-around hero Stacey Abrams asked in a speech earlier this week. I know my answer; how about you, John?

“Public Charge” Is Basically Another Term for Family Separation.

No one should have to choose between meeting their most basic needs and keeping their families together. But once again, the Trump administration is trying to force people to do exactly that. Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security issued a public charge regulation slated to go into effect in October. The rule would let immigration officials exclude people from the country if they believe they’re likely to use public programs like food or housing assistance, effectively punishing millions of immigrants for having disabilities, health challenges, and/or low pay.

Not surprisingly, a rule that gives such broad license to discriminate has deeply racist and xenophobic roots. The concept of “public charge” dates back to slavery, while this kind of rule in the immigration context has been used against Irish Catholics in the 1890s, Jewish people fleeing Nazi Germany, as well as LGBTQ immigrants, immigrants with disabilities, and more. Further, because of the other anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric espoused by this administration, awareness of this rule has already scared many people from seeking life-sustaining benefits to which they’re legally entitled for fear of being separated from their families.

“When given the opportunity, this administration never hesitates to take the low road when it comes to women, communities of color, and immigrant families,” our President and CEO Fatima Goss Graves said. “Make no mistake, the final DHS ‘public charge’ rule will separate families, inspire fear in communities across the country, and send the clear message that the American Dream is only for wealthiest immigrants, not working-class families. We won’t give up fighting this despicable rule. We remain in solidarity with immigrant communities and advocates seeking to block this rule in court.” Click here to learn more about this issue and support advocates working in solidarity with immigrant families to challenge this rule.

Must-Dos:

• Next Thursday, August 22, is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. Read up on the issues and needs, and join us online to speak up for #BlackWomensEqualPay!
• It is past time that workplaces offered reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees. Tell your members of Congress to support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and mark your calendars: we’ll be hosting a digital day of action to promote this critical legislation on Thursday, August 29.
• Abortion bans are a serious threat to our health, dignity, and freedom. Urge your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Women’s Health Protection Act today.

Must-Reads:

• “We are relieved to learn that Cyntoia Brown’s sentence has been commuted — but we also know that nothing will rewind her years of incarceration. Black girls deserve better. And [she] deserves better than a decade of parole.”
• “[The Trump administration says] they want to support children and families, but they’re stripping families of basic assistance they need. It’s another trend where they are both not following through on promises and needs of families, but working directly to undermine them.”
• “People of color, people of low-income jobs, people who live in rural areas, people who already have kids… are the people who are going to be hit the hardest by this kind of [abortion ban].”

Your Feminist Moment of Joy

Any Bachelor In Paradise fans out there? (Yes, you’re welcome to own that here. And to anyone feeling A Way about indulging in “guilty pleasures” including but not limited to reality TV, please let me reassure you that there is no guilt in pleasure as long as you’re not hurting yourself or other people!) Whether you’re into the show or not, it’s worth noting the affirming way cast members recently handled Demi’s coming out. Obviously there’s much work to be done to ensure full LGBTQ equality in our society, especially legal and policy changes that protect people without the other privileges Demi has. Still, it’s a lovely glimpse at the many ways our culture is changing for the better. It shows how far-reaching past activism has been, and how influential our movements can be in shifting how we relate to each other. Positive change happens in so many ways, John. Keep finding your ways to make a difference, no matter how big or small, and know that you’re loved and accepted.