Today, the Department of Homeland Security released final regulations to expand the highly controversial “public charge” rule. This dangerous rule would use lawful immigrants’ participation in “means-tested public benefits,” including SNAP, against them in immigration proceedings. Anti-hunger advocates at MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, which has been a leading voice in the fight against these policies during both Trump administrations, denounced the policies in the strongest possible terms while calling attention to the extreme cruelty that the Jewish community knows far too well.
MAZON President & CEO Abby J. Leibman stated:
“Today’s final regulation by President Trump and the Department of Homeland Security is no less than an abomination. It not only threatens access to food assistance and other basic needs programs for millions of lawfully present immigrants and their U.S. citizen family members, it does so in a way that was clearly and intentionally designed to instill deep fear in the cruelest of fashions.
“As Jews, we know all too well from our own history as immigrants to America, the pain, uncertainty, and dangerous impacts that can come from being considered a ‘public charge’ or an ‘economic burden.’ The harm of this proposal is not hypothetical and will fall disproportionately on the vulnerable populations whose food security is at the heart of MAZON’s mission.
“We’ve seen this before, and we’ve fought it before. We will continue to fight for the well-being of our immigrant communities who contribute so much to the fabric of this nation.”