UFW Foundation condemns Trump administration’s ‘radical plan’ to limit legal immigration with proposed ‘public charge’ rule

United Farm Workers Foundation Executive Director Diana Tellefson Torres issued the following statement following the Trump Administration’s Proposed “Public Charge” Rule, a Hideous Attempt to Limit Legal Immigration:

In yet another attempt to fulfill its anti-immigrant agenda, The Department of Homeland Security under the direction of the Trump administration has proposed changing the definition of what constitutes a public charge. The planned rule seeks to define those receiving housing assistance, Calfresh, Medicaid and other fundamental services as a public charge in order to deny legalization to many immigrants who legitimately receive these vital services. It is part of Trump’s radical plan to limit legal immigration.

Trump’s public charge aberration would undeniably discourage families in need from accessing basic services vital to their health and wellbeing.

Farm workers and immigrants are some of the most vulnerable members of our communities and their lives are in peril every day from increased persecution by federal authorities newly empowered by Donald Trump. If the administration's proposed changes occur, defenseless families will suffer the inevitable consequences of being cut off from access to health, food aid and fundamental human services needed for safety and survival. Many immigrants will be forced to choose between providing basic health care and food for their families or being unable to eventually obtain legal status. Farm worker families already suffer from lack of access to education and healthcare, and live in poverty. This public charge scheme is simply another way for the Trump administration to callously limit legal immigration—and impose further suffering on immigrants in the process.

In the Central Valley alone, UFW Foundation has helped thousands of its members and their families access public benefits. Government help is fundamental to sustaining healthy communities. UFW Foundation believes It is our civic duty to resist Trump’s latest malicious attack. We will continue actively resisting on behalf of farm workers, immigrants and the Latino community. We ask supporters to flood the Department of Homeland Security with opposition messages during the 60-day period for public comments that will determine if the public charge changes are implemented.

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