Advocates urge immigrant New Yorkers to seek trusted legal guidance ahead of September 18 implementation
Live stream available here
NEW YORK, NY–Today, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), alongside the New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, and immigrant advocates,held a press briefing to detail the Department of Homeland Security's new public charge rule, warning that the policy will create fear and uncertainty for immigrant families across New York while discouraging eligible individuals from accessing essential health care and social service programs. Set to take effect on September 18, the Department of Homeland Security's new rule changes how immigration officials evaluate whether certain immigrants are likely to become a "public charge" when seeking lawful permanent residency or admission to the United States.
The rule rescinds the Biden Administration’s Public Charge Rule, which has been in effect since December 23, 2022, and limited public charge determinations to an applicant’s use of cash assistance or long-term government-funded institutional care. Under the new rule, immigration officials will consider a broad range of factors when determining whether immigrants are eligible to become citizens, adjust status, or be admitted to the US based on the likelihood of becoming a public charge.
This new policy is a dangerous step backward that will harm immigrant New Yorkers—already living with instability, insecurity, and fear—by penalizing them for accessing health and social service programs designed to keep communities healthy.
"The public charge rule is not about protecting taxpayers – it's about deterring immigrants from accessing critical services and creating a climate of fear. The impact will extend far beyond those directly subject to the rule, leaving families to second-guess whether they can safely seek medical care or put food on the table. New Yorkers deserve facts, not fear, and our coalition will continue working to ensure every community has access to trusted legal guidance,” said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition.
“All residents, regardless of immigration status, deserve to access city services without fear. The federal government's decision to expand the scope of public charge will have far-reaching consequences for both immigrant families across the five boroughs and our City’s economy. When people are afraid to seek medical care, reporting crimes, or access other essential services, entire communities become less safe. We know that fear creates barriers to care, weakens trust in public institutions, and impacts public safety for all New Yorkers. Before deciding not to access services because of concerns about public charge, New Yorkers should contact MOIA’s free and confidential Legal Support Hotline at 1-800-354-0365 to get accurate, up to date information about their rights and options from trusted legal help. As a city, we will continue to stand with our immigrant communities and fight for a future where all New Yorkers can lead lives of safety, opportunity, and dignity,” said MOIA Commissioner Faiza N. Ali.
“Public charge is more than an immigration policy. It has become a policy that spreads fear throughout immigrant communities. APNA Community Services serves thousands of Limited English Proficient and Non-English-Speaking New Yorkers every year and help them in getting access to food, healthcare, housing, immigration, childcare and many other critical services. Across New York, South Asian families, especially those with limited English proficiency or who do not speak English, are being pushed further into the shadows by confusion, misinformation, and a lack of accessible information in their own languages. Too many parents and families are delaying medical care, turning away from nutrition assistance, and avoiding essential services because they fear that asking for help will cost them their future in this country. When government fails to communicate in the languages people understand, it creates a two-tiered system where English speakers have access to information and everyone else is left to rely on rumors and fear. That is not a public policy. That is a systemic exclusion. Every family deserves to understand their rights and access essential services to live a dignified and respectful life in this country without fear, confusion, or prejudice regardless of the language they speak or their cultural backgrounds," said Erum Hanif-Chief, Executive Officer, APNA Community Services.
“It’s unconscionable that they are doing this now, during a nationwide affordability crisis, when so many New Yorkers are already struggling to make ends meet. This will undoubtedly make it harder for families to have economic security, healthcare, and the nutrition that they need,” said Randy Ali, Executive Director, Arab-American Family Support Center.
“The Trump administration is once again creating chaos by using immigration policy to punish working families. This cruel public charge policy will force families to choose between protecting their future in this country and caring for their children today. Across our network of nearly 70 community organizations, families are already giving up benefits and avoiding services like food pantries out of fear. We urge families to get the facts from trusted legal sources before disenrolling or avoiding benefits that they are legally entitled to receive. No family should have to choose between securing their future and meeting their basic needs,” said Catherine Chen, Chief Executive Officer, Asian American Federation.
"The Trump Administration’s decision to rescind the public charge rule inflicts yet another layer of harm on families navigating an immigration system that is already deeply broken. Navigating the immigration system and public benefits programs is challenging enough, but now many will be forced to choose between the two. Others will forgo accessing essential benefits out of fear that it may impact their chances of gaining legal status. At Cabrini Immigrant Services we remain committed to ensuring that all we serve have the tools and information they need to navigate these changes and access the benefits they have a right to without fear,” said Javier Ramirez-Baron, Executive Director, Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC.
“The immigrant communities of New York are an economic powerhouse for this city and our country. We are here after the World Cup and have seen how our economies benefit from immigrants. We stand against any policies that negatively impact our community's financial situation. We never know when we will be the ones who will need help in the future and we cannot add any additional burdens that affect our quality of life in this country,” said Rosy Mota, Director of Health Policy, Latino Commission on Aids.
"We are very concerned about the impact that the new public charge rule will have on immigrant communities. The new list of public benefits impacted by this rule could include cash assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, housing assistance and more. While we wait for more clarity on the rule - news of the impending policy change has already created fear and anxiety among our clients, many of whom do not speak English. We are concerned that many clients might start disenrolling from vital benefits due to misinformation or fear. SACSS will work with our City and partner organizations to provide accurate, reliable and linguistically appropriate information to our communities," said Sudha Acharya, Executive Director, South Asian Council for Social Services.
“For more than 20 years, Voces Latinas has worked alongside Latino immigrant communities to promote health, safety, and well-being through education, advocacy, and culturally responsive support. Every day, we witness how access to essential resources including health care, health insurance assistance, food security programs such as SNAP, HIV prevention and testing, mental health support, and other community services helps families build healthier and more stable futures. We are deeply concerned about the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to expand discretion in Public Charge determinations by moving away from the 2022 framework. We know from experience that uncertainty and fear can prevent immigrant families from seeking the services they need. For many of the newly arrived immigrants, asylum seekers, and individuals with pending or uncertain immigration status that we serve, these changes may create additional barriers to accessing resources that support their health and well-being. At Voces Latinas, we believe that seeking health care, food assistance, education, and other essential supports should never be a source of fear. When individuals and families avoid these resources, the impact extends beyond the individual. It affects children, families, and the health of our entire community. We urge policymakers to consider the human impact of these changes and to protect the ability of immigrant families to access services that promote health, dignity, and stability. Voces Latinas will continue standing with our community, sharing accurate information, connecting families with resources, and advocating for policies that recognize the humanity and contributions of Latino immigrants," said Derick Mendoza, Director of Programs & Quality Assurance, Voces Latinas.
“The Department of Homeland Security’s new public charge rule is a brazen attack on immigrant families across this country, including countless homeless families that we serve at Win. Make no mistake: this cruel policy will force families into an impossible choice between pursuing permanent legal status or putting food on the table, keeping a roof over their children’s head, and accessing healthcare services. Win strongly opposes this new rule and will continue to serve all NYC families with children in need of shelter and support services, regardless of immigration status," said Christine C. Quinn, President & CEO, Win.