Your voice is urgently needed! The Trump administration has just announced a proposed regulation that if put into effect, would plunge an estimated 500,000 children into poverty. [1]

Say NO to the Trump administration's new attack on immigrant families! Submit your comment to the Department of Homeland Security NOW! (Don’t worry...we make it super easy for you with sample talking points you can copy and paste)

What is happening and how can we stop it?

The Trump Administration has proposed a change to long-standing, bipartisan federal immigration rules that would hurt low-income working families. The new rule would add receipt of programs such as SNAP (food stamps), Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), and section 8 housing assistance to the range of federal programs used in determining eligibility for green cards and/or entry into the United States. They call this a “public charge determination” [2]

While some form of the “public charge” determination has been part of immigration law for decades, it has excluded from consideration the receipt of health and nutrition programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. Including these programs could move 500,000 children into poverty. [3] It would force families to choose between meeting basic needs like food and health care or reuniting with those they love.

Click here to send government officials a message. Call on them to protect our families! 

Under the reckless new proposal by the Trump Administration immigrant parents will be at risk of having their immigration application denied if they even apply for health care, nutrition, or other assistance for their children or themselves.

It shouldn’t be about what you look like or what’s in your wallet; it’s how you live your life and contribute to your community that defines you in this country.

But this administration is trying to divide us while they gut our schools, healthcare, and Social Security to hand kickbacks to the already-rich. The latest scheme: change the rules for families who’ve waited years to be reunited. The Trump administration’s change to the“public charge” rule is an attack on working families. Like the President’s tax plan, which showers billionaires with tax breaks while leaving pennies for working families, this is another effort to make it harder for struggling families to get ahead. The proposal essentially says America is only for the wealthy and prices millions of families out of the American dream.

Not only is this rule cruel, it also means higher costs for states, cities, and businesses. This rule means miles of new red tape for families, and is a large unfunded mandate for businesses, service providers, and state and local government who would be left to deal with the chaos in the wake of their workers and residents being targeted. In fact a new report found that it will result in $33.8 billion in economic costs and 230,000 jobs will be lost if public charge rule implemented! [4]

We can stop this! Federal law gives YOU the right to make their voices heard by submitting comments and policy makers are required to review each comment!

We’ve joined hands before when Trump has gone too far, most recently to fight back against
his cruel policy to tear families apart at the border. This policy is an extension of Trump’s larger effort to tear families apart, and we must work together again to fight back against this cruel rule. You can tell President Trump and the Department of Homeland Security why this is a bad idea for our families, and our nation.

We don’t have a lot of time to make our voices heard--the Trump Administration is only giving us 60 days to collect comments on this destructive rule (another attempt to pull a fast one on the American public).

You do not have include anything other than your first name and last initial. You do not need to provide your personal information or any information about your immigration status. If you do not feel comfortable providing your name to the government, you can ask a friend or representative to share your story for you.

Join us in telling the Trump administration that making parents choose between basic needs and keeping families together is wrong!

Our diversity is our nation’s strength. And we know we can make a difference when this administration goes too far, as we did in demanding an end to the administration’s family separation policy. Thousands and thousands of people and organizations are speaking out against this proposal. And federal law requires that the government read and consider every single comment!

The more people who make their voices heard, the bigger impact we can have. Please take a moment to forward this email to your friends and family and post this link to Facebook.

Together, we are a powerful voice for families!

[1,3] Center on Poverty and Social Policy. “Changes to ‘Public Charge’ Rule May Put 500,000 More Citizen Children at Risk of Moving into Poverty.” March 28, 2018.

[2] Kaiser Family Foundation. “Proposed Changes to ‘Public Charge’ Policies for Immigrants: Implications for Health Coverage.” September 24, 2018.

[4] Fiscal Policy Institute. “’Only Wealthy Immigrants Need Apply’ How a Trump Rule’s Chilling Effect Will Harm the U.S.” October 10, 2018.