The New York Immigration Coalition applauds President Biden’s Executive Order directing the Department of Home Security, Department of State and Department of Justice to immediately review the ‘Public Charge’ rules put in place during the Trump era. The previous rule has cut off an important pathway to family reunification and created confusion and anguish for immigrant New Yorkers, the Coalition said in a press release. The latter have been unsure about the possible consequences of using public benefit programs for their families. Amid an unprecedented pandemic, the public charge rule has discouraged immigrant families from seeking the care they need and are eligible for, thus undermining the nation’s public health response to COVID-19.
“We urge DHS, DOS, and DOJ to immediately undo the public charge rule and reassure immigrant families of the importance of accessing health, housing, food, and other public programs that they are eligible for and need to ensure the health and safety of their families, especially during this pandemic,” said Max Hadler, Director of Health Policy at the New York Immigration Coalition. “The Trump administration used the public charge rule as a vicious, ill-conceived, and illegal ploy against immigrant families and the social safety net. We must move quickly to undo this rule and limit its damage. President Biden’s actions today are an important first step on that path.”
