Urban Institute: One in Five Adults in Immigrant Families with Children Reported Chilling Effects on Public Benefit Receipt in 2019

Research from the Urban Institute found that in 2019, the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule caused one in five immigrant families with children to deny themselves critical resources like public health coverage and food assistance out of fear that it could hurt their chances of obtaining a green card or adjust their immigration status.

“Although the public charge rule excludes benefits used by children as a factor in their parents’ public charge determination, reluctance to participate in public programs out of fear or confusion about immigration consequences could make it even harder for immigrant families with children to address their basic needs,” write Jennifer M. Haley, Genevieve M. Kenney, Hamutal Bernstein and Dulce Gonzalez. “This could place immigrant families’ health and well-being at risk, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic and recession.”

KJ