Action Alert: Public Charge Rule

from CPR:

Public Charge Rule - Please Comment!

This morning the Department of Homeland Security published a new “public charge” rule in the federal register.  The rule would discriminate against immigrants with disabilities and their families seeking to enter the U.S. or get a green card. Being labelled a “public charge” means a person is inadmissible to the U.S. because they are likely to depend on government benefits to meet their needs.  Many people with disabilities and their families rely on programs that the rule will use as a basis for excluding them.  This includes Medicaid — the only source for many critical services that help people with disabilities live and participate in their communities and are unavailable through private insurance — as well as food and housing assistance and Medicare Part D subsidies.  The rule will also discourage families from using these critical programs for fear of harming their immigration status.  In short, the proposed rule would exclude people from this country just because they or a family member has a disability.
The rule is only proposed at this point.  The government must allow the public to give input before it is finalized.  You can make your voice heard by submitting comments before December 10th.  It is critical that the disability community speak out against this devastating rule.
Read CPR’s statement opposing the rule here.
Learn more about public charge and its impact on people with disabilities here.  For general information on the rule and its impacts on immigrant families, visit this link. These websites will be updated with more information about how to comment.

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