The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) will hold a webinar on November 8 at 3:30 p.m. ET, “What Housing and Homelessness Advocates Should Know about the Public Charge Rule” related to recent changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (see Memo, 10/15).
Noncitizens seeking admission to the U.S., noncitizens applying for lawful permanent resident status (green card), or those seeking an extension of, or changes to, their non-immigrant status are subject to a review to determine whether they are or might become a “public charge” – someone primarily dependent on the government for subsistence.
Currently, three programs are covered under the public charge policy, TANF, Supplemental Security Income, and emergency-Medicaid. The proposed rule would add to the definition of public charge the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, and Public Housing programs, as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps), Non-emergency Medicaid, the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy, and institutionalization for long-term care at government expense. DHS is also considering adding the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to the list.
Previously leaked drafts of this policy change have already led many families to drop out of critical food and nutrition programs for their children, and the proposed changes would impact hundreds of thousands of hardworking immigrant households that depend on these programs for their survival.
NHLP and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty have developed a short FAQ outlining the basics of the proposed changes, effective messaging talking points, and a technical fact sheet that provides a more in-depth assessment of the proposed rule.
The Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign has additional non-housing information at: https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org
Register for NHLP’s November 8, 3:30 pm ET webinar at: https://adobe.ly/2yXfY5J