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Chicago, August 13, 2019 – Yesterday, the Trump Administration announced a final rule for plans originally announced in September 2018 to restrict visas for immigrants who receive food, health or housing benefits and are deemed to be a “Public Charge”. According to a report from Migration Policy Institute, the rule could affect over half of the immigrant population in the United States. Oscar Chacón, executive director of Alianza Americas, released the following statement:
“The Public Charge rule is yet another attack against working immigrant families in the United States and is based in the same racist and discriminatory rhetoric that has characterized the Trump administration from the outset. This latest policy comes on the heels of the horrific attack in El Paso inspired by President Trump’s xenophobia, and raids against migrant workers in Mississippi. With these actions, Trump continues to promote an anti-immigrant narrative ahead of his 2020 reelection campaign.
With this short-sighted and punitive rule, President Trump is aggressively discriminating against people with lower incomes who were born outside this country. The United States is one of the richest countries in the world, yet our level of inequality worsens every year. The government must focus on closing the gap between rich and poor – an issue affecting everyone in this country regardless of their migration status – instead of attacking hardworking people who generate wealth for the private sector, pay taxes, and add to the cultural richness and diversity of the United States.
As a significant segment of the United States population, Latin American immigrants and their families will bear the worst consequences of this cruel proposal. This policy will intensify health disparities and put the lives of vulnerable people at risk.”
Alianza Americas is a network of 50 immigrant-led organizations representing more than 100,000 families across the United States. It is the only US-based organization rooted in Latino and Caribbean immigrant communities that works transnationally to create an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable way of life. Learn more at alianzaamericas.org.
