Congressional Hispanic Caucus Statement on Supreme Court Allowing the Trump Administration to Implement the Public Charge Rule While Litigation Continues in Federal Courts
WASHINGTON — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) issued the following statement following a 5-4 Supreme Court decision allowing the Trump Administration to put into effect the public charge rule while litigation on the cases continue. The public charge rule would allow the government to deny permanent residency to immigrant families that may use public programs and benefits:
"It is deeply disappointing that the Supreme Court has sided with President Trump and allowed the public charge rule to go into effect. Our history is filled with stories of immigrants that came to the United States with nothing in their pockets and everything to give to this country. Many Americans might not be citizens today if this rule was enforced for the last two and a half centuries. Public charge contradicts our history by creating a ‘wealth litmus test' to keep immigrants from ever receiving a green card or becoming a citizen. At its core, this rule is un-American, and flies in the face of our most basic values of equality and opportunity for all.
"Public charge perpetuates a lie that immigrant families are a burden to American communities – a lie crafted to cause confusion and fear. This rule forces families to live in the shadows and forego necessary benefits, like health care and nutrition assistance, under threat of endangering their immigration case and losing a future green card. No family should be put in this position, or forced to make the choice between their immigration status and feeding their kids or taking them to the doctor. This fight is not over. We must keep working in the courts and in the halls of government to end the public charge policy."
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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.