Update on LIFT the BAR: Sign-on to Restore Immigrants' Access to Benefits

Dear Allies,

PIF is excited to share that we expect the introduction of the LIFT the BAR Act in the U.S. House of Representatives very soon. 

The LIFT the BAR Act, to be introduced by Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and other cosponsors, restores access to federal assistance programs like Medicaid, CHIP, and SNAP, by removing the five-year bar and other barriers that deny critical care and aid to people who are lawfully present. This includes people with“green cards,” Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, crime victims, COFA migrants, child maltreatment victims and orphans who hold Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), and other noncitizens residing lawfully in the United States. 

PIF encourages all of our partners to support and lift up the LIFT the BAR Act. 

Here are three ways you can show your support right now:

• Sign PIF’s letter of support! PIF is circulating a sign on letter for national, state and local organizations to show their support. Sign on today and help show the tremendous support for this critical legislation. The deadline to sign on is Monday, August 30, 5pm ET.

• Be a supporting organization of the legislation! Representative Jayapal’s office is developing a list of organizations that support the LIFT the BAR Act. Your organization can separately fill out this form to be listed.

• Call or email your Member of Congress. Ask them to co-sponsor Representative Jayapal’s LIFT the BAR Act and share why it would be important for your community. 

Over the next few days and weeks, we’ll share more tools, resources, and opportunities to advance this bill! In the meantime, here are some key resources:

• PIF one pager about the LIFT the BAR Act 

• Summary of the LIFT the BAR Act

• Section-by-Section on the LIFT the BAR Act

• Legislative language of the LIFT the BAR act

Background on LIFT the BAR Act

The LIFT the BAR act would:

• Repeal key provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) that (1) restrict lawfully present immigrants’ eligibility for federal assistance programs, (2) allow states to adopt more punitive restrictions, (3) erect barriers for states or localities that wish to use their own funds to establish more inclusive programs, and (4) restrict or deter access to critical services for immigrants with sponsors.

• Redefine “qualified noncitizens,” a term used to define eligibility for many federal programs, to include any individual who is lawfully present in the U.S.

• Provide that individuals who have access to Affordable Care Act health insurance under current rules will not lose access to affordable coverage if they remain ineligible for Medicaid.

In Solidarity,

Eddie Carmona & Renato Rocha, on behalf of the PIF Team

Visit us at https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/