Letter: Workers Circle applauds court ruling that stops immigration wealth test

Ann Toback is CEO of the Workers Circle. Photo courtesy of Workers Circle

The Workers Circle applauds the decision of the Southern District Court in New York that halts the dangerous public charge policy, temporarily, as our nation continues to battle a deadly pandemic. This pause means immigrants can access the health care and social services they need for themselves and their families without fear, strengthening public health for all.

The Trump Administration has relentlessly and viciously pursued policies that jeopardize the health and safety of immigrant families, terrorizing immigrant communities across the nation for the last four years. The Administration’s expansion of the public charge rule has caused well-documented confusion among immigrants, impeding their access to critical services to which they are legally entitled. Thanks to the court’s decision, during the pandemic, immigrants will no longer have these benefits weaponized against them.

Still, this injunction only provides temporary respite. Our organization remains committed to a future in which the public charge rule is eliminated once and for all. America is better off when all immigrants, regardless of socioeconomic status, are welcomed for their myriad contributions to our economy and society. The Workers Circle will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with immigrant communities in the fight to remove the public charge language from the Immigration and Nationality Act for good.

Ann Toback

Chief Executive Officer

The Workers Circle