San Francisco, CA — The Trump Administration announced new “public charge” rules that will increase hardships for working-class immigrants and unfairly restrict future family-based immigration.
The new rules, which go into effect in two months, have been opposed for months by a broad range of social service providers, immigrant rights, and civil rights groups.
“Over 266,000 public comments were submitted last year and the majority of the comments opposed the rule change given the harm that working class families would suffer and the already frayed social safety net in the United States. Today’s announcement is another example of how this administration is scapegoating all immigrant families and their ability to be together with their families now and in the future,” states Hong Mei Pang, CAA’s Director of Advocacy.
“Public charge” is a label used by the US government when determining whether immigrants could become dependent on government assistance.
The rules change penalizes an immigrant for being “public charge”, and thus harm their ability to apply for green cards and curb future migration via family sponsorship if enrolled in the following programs: Medicaid (known as Medi-Cal in California), Section 8 housing subsidies, food stamps (SNAP), and cash-based income assistance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Social Security Income (SSI). The final rule will become effective on October 15, 2019.
While the rule will primarily impact those seeking to adjust their status or applying to immigrate, it will also unnecessarily deter those eligible for benefits from applying out of fear of future immigration consequences.
“These changes will deter immigrants from participating in life-saving programs and disproportionately harm families, women, children, elderly, and people with disabilities. It contributes to the climate of fear that has been created as a result of racist xenophobia perpetuated by the Trump Administration,” states Amy Lin, CAA’s Immigrant Rights Program Manager.
CAA will convene a press conference on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, with city agencies and community partners on the policy impacts of the final rule and community response. Community members are encouraged to contact CAA’s Immigrant Rights program at 415.761.3222 for general inquiry and legal referrals regarding how the finalized rule would affect them.
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Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) is a community-based civil rights organization in San Francisco. Our mission is to protect the civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States. We advocate for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and remedies racial injustice.
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Changes to “Public Charge” Will Harm Immigrants, Restrict Future Immigration
「公共負擔」政策改變將影響移民並限制移民
加州三藩市–川普政府剛公佈新的「公共負擔」政策將會對勞工基層移民的生活帶來深遠的影響並且不公平的去限制將來的家屬移民。
新的修訂即使受到社會各界廣泛的批評及反對，當中包括社會服務機構、移民權益及民權組織，仍會在兩個月後正式生效。
華人權益促進會倡議主任馮弘美表示 ：「去年公共諮詢期間，聯邦政府收到超過26萬6千分意見書，其中大多數表明反對政府提出的建議，指出該提議將會對勞工基層家庭帶來深遠的影響及對現有的美國已破碎的社會安全網帶來更大的破壞。今天的公佈正正是另一個例子顯示出川普政府將移民家庭當作替罪羔羊，不惜犧牲他們今天或將來申請與家人在美團聚的機會。」
「公共負擔」是美國聯邦政府用來審核任何移民申請準則，判斷該移民將來會否依賴公共資源而用的標籤。
該修訂將懲罰任何被判斷將會成為「公共負擔」的移民並影響他們將來申請成為永久居民（綠卡）的機會及控制將來的家屬移民。假如該人士曾經申請下列各項社會保障項目：加州低收入醫療保險(白卡）、第8類房屋補助計劃、糧食券、現金為主的收入補貼例如家庭臨時協助及社會安全生活補助金。最終的版本將會於2019年10月15日生效。
是次的修訂主要影響將來需在美國申請轉換身份人士或申請移民來美人士，然而此修訂將無可避免地對那些合資格申請社會保障但基於害怕會引致將來的任何移民後果的人士造成影響。
華促會移民權益項目經理林語慧指出：「這些政策的改變將令很多移民害怕申請任何基本的社會保障計劃並對家庭、女性、小孩、長者及傷健人士帶來不成比例的影響。與此同時，川普政府造成的帶有強烈種族主義的排外思想，將通過此修訂加劇已瀰漫在移民社區的恐慌。」
華人權益促進會將會聯同三藩市市政府部門及社區機構在二零一九年八月十四日舉辦記者會，講解是次的修改所帶來的政策影響及社區的反應。歡迎受到該修訂影響的社區人士致電華促會移民項目的工作人員，電話係415.761.3222 ，查詢對你或你家庭的影響以及相關法律諮詢轉介服務。
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華促會是立足在三藩市以社區為本的民權組織。我們的宗旨是保障美國華裔的民權及政治權利並以推動美國的多元種族民主為己任。我們提倡機構性的改變，去保障移民權益，加強語言的多元化及消除種族的不平等。
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