Babies and Public Charge
The proposed regulation to expand the definition of “public charge” calls infant-toddler advocates to speak for babies and families.
Under the new definition, if families access or are likely to use certain government programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, or housing assistance, they risk their opportunity to obtain permanent or temporary legal status in the United States. By penalizing families for their use of essential services, this proposal threatens the healthy development of millions of children, and particularly babies. In a time when approximately one in four children in the United States lives with at least one immigrant parent, this proposal inevitably threatens our future.
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More on Public Charge
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Tool
ZERO TO THREE Comments on Public Charge
Based on years of research and deep knowledge of human and child development, we believe that the proposed change to public charge determinations poses the threat of great harm to infants, toddlers, …
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Publication
Why Essential Services Matter To Babies