I hate to elevate @USCIS's inadequate & counter-productive #Covid_19 alert by analyzing it, but I'm sure people will struggle to understand it, so here goes...
1/
This first part is not entirely unhelpful.
But what they aren't saying is that *almost nobody* has any reason to fear using **any** public health services, because the #PublicCharge rule doesn't actually punish this & never did.
See @MigrationPolicy:
2/
migrationpolicy.org/news/public-ch…
Even in an urgent #Covid_19 public health alert, @HomelandKen & co. just couldn't resist propagating the lie that the #PublicCharge rule "is critical to defending & protecting Americans' health & its health care resources."
Don't take my word for it...
3/
Here is a direct quote from USCIS's own analysis of the #PublicCharge rule, anticipating it could lead to worse health outcomes for Americans, including "increased prevalence of communicable diseases."
The dereliction of duty is unfathomable.
4/
federalregister.gov/documents/2018…
Here's more life-threatening gobbledegook.
USCIS is only pretending to announce new policy!
They could've said: Don't worry, it's always been true that no US citizen is subject to the #PublicCharge rule, even if their #immigrant family members share in their public benefits.
5/
They could've said: If you're eligible for public benefits in the first place that itself means you probably have no problem under #PublicCharge; here's a handy chart from @MigrationPolicy showing just how few people have anything to worry about.
6/
migrationpolicy.org/news/public-ch…
Instead, @USCIS continues to spew bureaucratese suggesting that the #PublicCharge rule applies to most people accessing public benefits, even though it doesn't & never did.
7/
And here's the thrilling conclusion of the USCIS #COVIDー19 response, which is the coldest imaginable comfort.
"If the pandemic makes you lose your job or whatever, just add a note to your green card application & maybe just maybe we don't deny you."
8/
uscis.gov/greencard/publ…
Because the #PublicCharge rule doesn't actually punish most people for using public benefits—it punishes them for their age, health, income, education, language, debt, etc.
9/
boundless.com/blog/public-ch…
The Trump administration knows the #PublicCharge rule will inevitably lead to Americans & #immigrants imperiling themselves & others by foregoing public health services.
USCIS said so in its own economic analysis of its own rule!
10/
regulations.gov/document?D=USC…
The only adequate response by DHS & @StateDept to the pandemic is to immediately & loudly suspend the #PublicCharge rule in all its forms.
To do otherwise is to guarantee preventable suffering and death.
Alas, I'm not holding my breath.
11/11
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