11.19.2025 / Statement

Families USA: Public Charge Proposed Rule Hinders Care for Legally Residing Immigrants

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Anthony Wright, Families USA’s Executive Director, issued the following statement regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) proposed rule to rescind the 2022 Public Charge regulation.

“On the heels of historically huge Medicaid and SNAP cuts and allowing premiums to spike in the individual insurance marketplaces, the Trump administration has once again hurt the health system we all rely on with a public charge rule that hinders care for legally residing immigrants and harms our collective public health.

“Penalizing lawfully present immigrants for seeking vital services will cause families — even when they are eligible — to hesitate when they need health care or other support. This environment of fear creates detrimental outcomes and forces families to choose between their health and their future hopes for citizenship. For legal immigrants who contribute as workers, taxpayers, parents, and community members, this policy turns the American Dream into a nightmare of not being able to get care at critical times.

“Our health system is stronger when everyone is included. Denying immigrants the health and economic support they need poses a threat to everyone’s health and economic well-being. If people can’t get basic primary and preventive care, it results in worse health impacts for themselves and their communities and more expensive emergency care. We will continue to challenge this harmful policy to ensure they have access to the services they are entitled to.”