Statement From Congressman Horsford on the Trump Administration’s Latest Attack on Immigrant Communities in Public Charge Rule

Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration today published a new regulation that would target legal immigrants seeking legal permanent resident and citizenship status for use or "potential use" of benefits, including Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program or Public Housing. In a move that would have widespread implications for Nevada, some doctors and WIC (Women Infants and Children) clinics are reporting that families are refusing services as a result.

"This is just the latest attack from the Trump administration on immigrant communities– taking health care and food away from children and families," Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) said. "This comes only a week after Latinos were targeted and murdered in El Paso; only a week after Trump's raids in Mississippi left children terrified and crying, not knowing when they would see their parents again. We all must fight back against this racist, abusive policy."

This newly-final public charge regulation is part of that sweeping government-wide assault on immigrant families, making systemic neglect the law of the land from the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The rule also expands the criteria for denying citizenship based on family size, English language ability, income and the ability to pay for private health insurance.

Congressman Horsford stringently opposes the newly-finalized rule and is an original cosponsor of the No Federal Funds for Public Charge Act of 2019, H.R. 3222, introduced by Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), which sought to ensure that no federal funds would be used to implement the rule. Unfortunately, the rule is now finalized and will go into effect on October 15, 2019. The finalization of the public charge circumvents Congress, discarding long-standing policy about the "public charge" provisions of immigration law and ignoring the hundreds of thousands of public comments opposing this rule.

"This fight isn't over. We must continue to stand up, speak out, and fight back to protect immigrant families. This regulation forces millions of families to choose between the things the food, shelter and health care they need and the people they love," Congressman Horsford said. "I will continue working to secure immigrants' rights across the country, and to protect the future for the 40,000 immigrants and 10,000 Dreamers living in my district, who need protection from this administration most."