On Oct. 10, the federal government proposed changes to the “public charge” rule, which is used to determine whether certain immigrants can obtain “green cards” and sponsor the immigration of family members. If the proposed changes are enacted, using public benefits to help meet basic needs ― including food and health care ― will count against immigrants who are working toward permanent residency in the U.S.
Immigration policy experts say the rule change will result in a “chilling” effect of fear and confusion, keeping individuals and families from using essential programs ― even if they are not actually subject to the “public charge” rule.
The resulting loss of federally funded public benefits will have a broad ripple effect throughout the economy, affecting health care providers, businesses, and workers in health care, food-related industries and other sectors.
There is a 60-day public comment period for the proposed rule.
On Nov. 7, Ninez A. Ponce, director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research; Laurel Lucia; director of the health care program at the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education; and Tia Shimada, director of programs at California Food Policy Advocates, will preview a forthcoming report and share estimates of the health and economic impact the rule change will have on California, its regions, and its racial and ethnic groups.
The research is supported by the California Health Care Foundation and The California Endowment.
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About the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) is one of the nation’s leading health policy research centers and the premier source of health policy information for California. UCLA CHPR improves the public’s health through high quality, objective, and evidence-based research and data that informs effective policymaking. UCLA CHPR is the home of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) and is part of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. For more information, visit healthpolicy.ucla.edu.