Trump Administration Proposal Targets Immigrants Needing Public Aid

Immigration Public Benefits
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testifies during a Senate Committee hearing on Wednesday. Alex Brandon / Associated Press
Immigration Public Benefits
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testifies during a Senate Committee hearing on Wednesday. Alex Brandon / Associated Press

Trump Administration Proposal Targets Immigrants Needing Public Aid

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Thousands of immigrants may lose access to healthcare and other public benefits under a new Trump Administration proposal formally announced Wednesday.

The Department of Homeland Security wants to change the definition of what constitutes a so-called “public charge” and deny green card applications for those who use government benefits like food stamps and Medicaid.

The non-partisan Migration Policy Institute estimates the proposal would have what it calls a “chilling effect” on 18 million immigrants and 9 million U.S. citizen children in families that currently use certain public benefits. 

Andrea Kovach of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law joins the Morning Shift to talk about the proposal, which is open for public comment until Dec. 10.

GUEST: Andrea Kovach, senior attorney at the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law

LEARN MORE: Patient advocates decry Trump administration move to restrict immigrants’ access to healthcare (Los Angeles Times 10/10/18)

How Trump administration plans to screen green card applicants’ use of government welfare benefits (USA Today 10/9/18)

Now the Trump administration is trying to punish legal immigrants for being poor (Washington Post 8/09/18)