Dear John, 

As detailed below, we saw a courtroom win this week and a new litigation threat emerge. Also in this edition, Congress begins a process that puts health care at risk.

In a significant win for immigrant families, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Monday not to hear a petition to intervene and resuscitate the Trump public charge rule–this is good news. Last week, Texas filed a lawsuit challenging the Biden public charge. We’ll be watching this case closely. The bottom line: the Biden public charge rule is still in effect and immigrants and their family members can use health care, nutrition, housing and other public benefits that are not cash assistance for income maintenance or long term institutionalization at government expense without fear of immigration consequences.

Congress’s year-end omnibus spending bill ends the pandemic-related requirement for states to keep people enrolled in Medicaid on April 1, 2023, and provides a 12 month period for states to initiate eligibility redeterminations. This gives states just over 90 days, to ramp up hiring, system changes, outreach, and other planning before April 1. Many people will lose coverage despite remaining eligible, because they are unable to successfully complete the renewal process for reasons outside of their control. While the public health emergency (PHE) unwinding puts all people enrolled in Medicaid at risk of losing coverage, immigrants and their family members may experience additional challenges maintaining coverage. We are working to schedule a webinar to discuss simple ways that states can improve this process and retain eligible immigrants and their families.

PIF partners Immigration Research Initiative and Urban Institute co-released a study this week documenting the concrete impact of New York State’s $2.1 billion Excluded Worker Fund. The fund provided immigrants who are undocumented and lost work during the pandemic with benefits on a par with what others got in unemployment insurance. The report, Expanding Inclusion in the Social Safety Net: Impacts of New York’s Excluded Workers Fund, surveyed over 400 people and found the majority used the funds to meet basic needs, but that it also opened opportunities for economic advancement, improved family well-being, and increased community engagement. This is the second and final part of study; in March IRI and Urban co-released “Finally, We’re Being Heard,” with one-on-one interviews.

Working groups offer active members an opportunity to shape key aspects of PIF's work:

COMMUNICATIONS: Develops PIF’s communications strategy and materials, including message strategy, media relations, and digital outreach.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION: Convenes members to share best practices and approaches on how to educate and empower immigrant families on their eligibility for public programs and tap their power as advocates for change.

FEDERAL ADVOCACY: Cultivates Members of Congress as champions and spokespeople. Develops and advances legislative and administrative policy change strategies.

POLICY/ LEGAL (NERDS): Provides technical analysis of proposed and implemented policy changes.

RESEARCH: Convenes researchers working on issues connected to PIF’s agenda, and identifies research needs. Makes data accessible to advocates, policymakers, and the public.

STATE POLICY: Brings together state advocates and legal and policy experts to provide analysis and develop strategies to mitigate the effect of federal policy changes and advance state and local reforms that improve safety net access for immigrant families.

Click here to sign your organization up as an active member and select one or more working groups.

In Solidarity,

Adriana Cadena & Cheasty Anderson, on behalf of the PIF Team

Visit our website at www.pifcoalition.org

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