Nycaribnews– Senior immigration leaders in the United States Senate and House of Representatives have strongly criticized a proposed rule by President Donald Trump that would penalize Caribbean and other immigrant families for lawfully accessing health care, food assistance and housing support.
In a formal regulatory comment submitted to the United States Department of Homeland Security, the lawmakers opposed the proposed Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility rule, warning that it unlawfully rewrites longstanding immigration law and would discourage immigrant families from using essential public benefits to which they are legally entitled.
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The comment was submitted by Congressman Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement, Congressman Robert Scott, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Senator Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, and Senators Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden.
The lawmakers argued that the proposal seeks to bypass congressional authority by altering the definition of public charge, a term that for more than one hundred and thirty five years has applied only to individuals who are primarily dependent on government assistance for subsistence. They warned that a public charge determination can directly affect an immigrant’s eligibility to enter or remain in the United States.
According to the legislators, the Trump administration’s proposal would penalize immigrants for using supplemental benefits such as health care, nutrition assistance and housing programs that Congress intentionally made available to support working families. They stated that the Department of Homeland Security is attempting to administratively redefine public charge in violation of congressional intent, despite repeated legislative decisions rejecting such changes.
The members noted that Congress has revised immigration law multiple times without ever expanding the definition of public charge to include the lawful use of non cash benefits. They emphasized that federal agencies have long recognized programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and housing assistance as tools that promote public health, food security and housing stability, enabling families to remain economically self sufficient.
The lawmakers warned that the proposed rule would create widespread fear and confusion within immigrant communities, leading families to avoid medical care, nutrition assistance and housing support even when they qualify under federal law. They noted that the Department of Homeland Security itself acknowledged in the proposed rule that the policy could result in poorer health outcomes, increased poverty, housing instability and greater reliance on emergency rooms for basic care. These impacts, they said, would extend beyond immigrant households to affect communities across the United States.
They further stated that Congress has consistently determined immigrant access to public benefits through eligibility rules rather than by penalizing individuals for adjusting their immigration status based on lawful benefit use. The lawmakers cited recent legislation, including the 2025 reconciliation law, which deliberately preserved access to key public programs for specific immigrant populations.
For these reasons, the legislators urged the Trump administration to abandon the proposed rule and retain the 2022 regulations that align with congressional intent, protect public health and ensure that families are not punished for accessing lawful, life sustaining assistance.
Several New York City agencies have also publicly condemned the proposed rule, citing concerns about its potential impact on public health, housing stability and immigrant well being.
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