Rep. Chu Praises Biden Action to Rescind Public Charge Rule

Press Release

Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new rule to provide fair and humane treatment for immigrants. This rule would rescind the cruel "public charge" rule that was implemented by President Trump and which penalized immigrants who used certain public benefits like nutrition assistance and healthcare. As a result of the rule, many immigrants disenrolled from these programs, risking their own health and the health of others out of fear it could make it more difficult to be reunited with loved ones, even though many of these immigrants have a legal right to these services to which they contribute through their taxes. The new rule was based on the No Federal Funds for Public Charge Act, a bill introduced by Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) to prevent any federal funds from being used to implement the public charge rule. Rep. Chu issued the following statement:

"I am so grateful to President Biden for today's announcement to rescind the egregious Trump-era public charge rule and restore fairness and humanity to our immigration system. Trump's cruel public charge rule was only ever about making life more difficult for immigrants, and depriving them of access to life supporting services such as nutrition and healthcare even as a pandemic was spreading and even though many had already paid for these services through their taxes. Using the public charge rule to create a separate class of citizens was always unfair. That is why over 250,000 public comments were sent to Trump's DHS opposing the rule, and it is why I introduced The No Federal Funds for Public Charge Act to prevent any federal funds from being used to implement this rule, and which formed the basis of President Biden's action today. Demonizing and isolating immigrants puts lives in danger and frays our communities, it does not make our country safer or healthier nor will it support communities or resolve our labor shortage. President Biden understands that to bring our country through this recovery, we need to support all Americans, and that must include our immigrant communities. I'm proud to see the cruel public charge rule coming to an end."

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