New Federal "Public Charge" Rule for Green Card Applicants Poses Threat to Texas Kids
When it takes effect in October, a new federal policy will penalize applicants for green cards (legal permanent residency) if they have legally enrolled in a public assistance program, such as a green card applicant who received SNAP food stamps while on a student visa.
The rule exempts Children's Medicaid, CHIP, and certain other programs and does not penalize applicants for their family members' use of benefits.
However, we are very concerned that the policy further enflames a climate of fear and confusion that will lead families who are not covered by the program to pull their U.S. citizen children out of Medicaid and other programs, further driving up the state's sky-high children's uninsured rate.
