
Changes to Public Charge Rule
On August 12, 2019, the federal government finalized radical changes to “public charge” rules in an effort to disqualify many immigrants from gaining permanent residency in the US. The rule went into effect in California on February 24, 2020, even as multiple legal challenges continue to move through the federal courts. The US Citizenship and Immigration Service has announced that immigrants can seek testing, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19 without fearing immigration consequences due to public charge.
On August 12, 2019, the federal government finalized radical changes to “public charge” rules in an effort to disqualify many immigrants from gaining permanent residency in the US. The rule went into effect in California on February 24, 2020, even as multiple legal challenges continue to move through the federal courts. The US Citizenship and Immigration Service has announced that immigrants can seek testing, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19 without fearing immigration consequences due to public charge.
CHCF will provide updates as they become available. For more information, readers can also refer to the Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign, National Immigrant Law Center, and the California Immigrant Policy Center.
This collection highlights the potential impact that the changes to the public charge rule could have on the ability of immigrants to access the health care they need. It also highlights emerging research on the rule’s chilling effect on immigrants’ use of health care and other services.