plan of action - october 18, 2018

Protect Benefits for Immigrants


Kirstjen Nielsen’s DHS has proposed to refuse green cards to legal immigrants who are recipients of public service benefits, including common tax deductions. Cash welfare recipients are already penalized when it comes to being granted visas or permanent residency status, but the new proposals would extend this to penalize those who receive any kind of benefit, including SNAP, Medicare, Medicaid, and Section 8 vouchers. Immigrants would also be penalized if their US-citizen spouse or child receives any benefits. This is all playing to the Trump base and has no basis in reality, as immigrants are a net benefit to the country.

Action:

1. Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to speak out against the DHS proposal to penalize legal immigrants who receive non-cash public benefits. As legal immigrants, they have the right to receive all the same benefits as citizens, especially as immigrants are net contributors to our economy.

2. Call the DHS at (202) 282-8000 and ask for the Secretary’s comment line. Leave a comment stating your opposition to the proposal to penalize immigrants who receive non-cash common public benefits.