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Statement

Moms Leaders on U.S. Supreme Court Decision to Allow Public Charge 'Wealth Test' to Take Effect: Deeply Disappointing, Truly Harmful, Especially Cruel

January 28, 2020
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from leaders of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow the public charge wealth test to take effect while legal challenges to this cruel, racist regulation continue:

“Yesterday’s narrow, 5- 4 U.S. Supreme Court decision to lift the nationwide injunction that was blocking the cruel, anti-immigrant public charge rule from taking effect was deeply disappointing and truly harmful. Upending the judicial review process allows the Trump administration to create terror and hardship among low-income immigrants and immigrant families of color, threatening their health, housing and nutrition, in ways the Court may ultimately not allow.

“The public charge rule wages war on immigrants. It weaponizes health, housing, nutrition and other essential assistance programs that allow hardworking moms and families to thrive. It forces families with children to choose between reuniting with loved ones and putting food on the table or roofs over their heads. This rule is a wealth test that will discriminate against low-income families and force them to decide between leaving their families behind or seeking the resources they need to stay healthy and thrive.

“The immigration service cannot predict what types of support families will need in the future and asking them to do so is an invitation to discriminate, and is deeply unfair to those who simply want to be reunited with their families and live out the American Dream. This wealth test for noncitizens who are seeking lawful permanent resident status is cruel and punitive, will result in more hunger and homelessness, and undermines core American values.”

--Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO, MomsRising

“Yesterday’s decision will have a chilling effect, causing immigrant families to fear applying for health, housing and nutrition benefits they may need to care for their children because they fear the repercussions for family members. It is a racist policy that will harm non-white immigrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa the most. It is ill-advised and punitive.

“We will work to educate the immigrant community about which families and which benefits are covered, so families not at risk can and will apply for benefits they need. And MomsRising and its members will continue to advocate on behalf of immigrant families, in the hope that Congress will finally pass policies that lift them up rather than punishing them. America’s moms oppose this cruel, punitive measure and want every immigrant to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect.”

--Statement of Xochitl Oseguera, national director, MamásConPoder.org and MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.