WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's proposed regulation, regarding the “public charge” provisions of immigration law, would upend federal policy and harm children and families.
The following is a statement from NEA President Lily Eskelsen García.
"The Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to change the long-established public charge provisions to immigration law will have a destructive impact on our students and their families.
“The proposed regulation would deter families from accessing critical programs that provide immigrants and their families with healthcare, food, and other essential needs. Families would be put in the reprehensible position of choosing to put food on the table or pursue a green card.
“This hateful proposal could hurt millions of students in classrooms across the country. What happens to one family member affects the entire family.
“The administration’s changes intend to limit legal immigration and inhibit the full rights of people who have lived here for decades. It is yet another attempt to divide and distract us.
“As educators we know firsthand how families benefit from programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance. What kind of country are we to deny children the basics needed to grow and learn?”
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