Woods Fund Chicago: Public Charge

As many of you are aware, on October 10th the U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed significant changes to a long-standing tenet of federal immigration law that will adversely impact the health and well-being of millions of children and families across the country. The “public charge” rule change seeks to bar noncitizens from obtaining legal permanent residency status if the government determines that the applicant is likely to use public benefits, such as food stamps (SNAP), Medicaid, some parts of Medicare, Section 8 and other housing subsidies. 

Our response to the proposed rule change is just one part of a collective philanthropic push to inform and engage our sector and our broader community about the adverse impact the change has had, and will continue to have if enacted, on immigrant families and communities throughout the state.  Woods Fund grantee partners have added their voices to the chorus of opposition, and several local foundations are cosigning letters to local editorial boards and are submitting (or have already submitted) individual public comments to the Department of Homeland Security denouncing the rule change. Our collective advocacy is critical and does not constitute lobbying as this rulemaking is an administrative process by a government agency.

We encourage you to consider submitting your own public comment. Find out how here. 

To learn more about the public charge issue, visit Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrant Rights for more information.