ACLU Publishes Comments Criticizing Proposed Rule on Public Charge

NEW YORK — The Trump administration proposed a rule that would deny immigrants green cards and visas based on unfounded predictions that they will become “public charges” and receive public benefits like Medicaid or SNAP in the future. The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a public comment criticizing this discriminatory proposal.

Claudia Center, senior staff attorney at the ACLU’s Disability Rights Project, issued the following statement:

“The Trump administration unveiled yet another heartless plan to block immigrants and people with disabilities from legally immigrating to the United States. The president effectively declared that you could be too old, too young, too poor, or too sick to come to this country.

“The proposed rule grows out of the absurd assumption that people with disabilities cannot be productive, valued members of our society. This is not only incredibly cruel, it’s illegal. The Rehabilitation Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against anyone on the basis of disability, whether or not they’re a citizen.

“The ACLU won’t stand for this. Our public comment demands the administration rescind this hateful proposal. If they do not heed our warning, we’ll consider the appropriate next steps and continue the fight for all immigrants, including people with disabilities.”

The public comment is online here: https://www.aclu.org/letter/aclu-comments-public-charge-proposed-rule