news

Today, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) filed official public comments with the Department of Homeland Security and US Citizenship and Immigration Services in opposition to a proposed rule that changes longstanding immigration policy on the “public charge” determination.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, if finalized, would fundamentally change who is allowed to enter or stay in the United States based on their use of public benefits in the future. The proposal broadens the “public charge” definition, expands the types of benefits for consideration, and suggests introducing an unprecedented income test and negative factors against immigrants seeking a visa or permanent legal status including being a child or a senior, non-English speakers, poor credit history, having a large family, or a treatable medical condition.

In her public comments, Dingell wrote, “Diversity is one of this nation’s greatest strengths. The proposed rule would make harmful changes to longstanding immigration policy on the “public charge” determination, which fails to live up to our shared American values. On behalf of many of my constituents who work in assisting immigrants to build new lives and all those who could be affected, we object to the changes in the proposed rule and urge you to withdraw it.”

Dingell continued, “We need to put a human face on this debate. The proposed rule would unfairly penalize a pregnant mother, here under expiring Temporary Protected Status and receiving Medicaid, seeking a green card to stay in the country with her husband, or a graduate student with DACA status who incurred a medical bill because they were not eligible for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act and now has a temporarily low credit score. The United States has always kept our doors open for those seeking a better life for them and their families and we should not retreat from that commitment.”

You can read Dingell’s public comments in full here. 

###