Immigrants who get tested or treated for the coronavirus will not be penalized when applying for citizenship under a public charge rule that restricts green cards for those who use taxpayer-funded services.
In a statement, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said that it is encouraging anyone with symptoms of the COVID-19 to seek medical treatment.
“Such treatment or preventive services will not negatively affect any alien as part of a future Public Charge analysis,” the agency said.
“To address the possibility that some aliens impacted by COVID-19 may be hesitant to seek necessary medical treatment or preventive services, USCIS will neither consider testing, treatment, nor preventative care (including vaccines, if a vaccine becomes available) related to COVID-19 as part of a public charge inadmissibility determination,” the agency continued.
The public charge rule went into effect last week after the Supreme Court in January allowed the Trump administration to enforce it.
Police Department Uses AI to Write Reports, Only to Have it Claim One of the Officers Was Turned Into a Frog
Blackstone Stock Nosedives After Trump Announces Plan to Ban Major Investors from Buying Up Single-Family Homes
Trump responds to post suggesting Rubio as president of Cuba: ‘Sounds good to me’
Somali Maine city councilor resigns days after taking office after felony charge, residency questions
Ex-con charged in Christmas Day CVS robbery that left clerk fatally stabbed
Rob Schneider Goes Off on Minneapolis Mayor for Fanning Flames After ICE Shooting
NASA makes ‘unprecedented’ call to bring astronauts home after illness, expert says: ‘Evacuated from orbit’
How One Trump Admin Arrest May Soon Refill the Strategic Oil Reserves Biden Drained
Left-wing group backs tens of thousands of anti-ICE demonstrations nationwide
Lib Reporter Faces Subpoena After Doxxing Delta Force Commander Over Maduro Capture
Charlie’s Legacy: Ex-Playboy Playmate Jenny McCarthy Has ‘Surrendered’ to Jesus, Says Kirk’s Death Immediately Drove Her to Start Studying the Bible
DC pipe bomb suspect pleads not guilty to planting devices at DNC and RNC headquarters
Trump says Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners ‘in a BIG WAY’
Trump Launches Plan to Protect Americans from Getting ‘Ripped Off’ By Credit Card Companies
MTG May Have Leaked Trump’s Location to Unhinged Activists: White House
The rule essentially restricts immigrants entering the United States if the government believes they will rely on public assistance such as welfare or health care and housing benefits. Lower federal courts had blocked the rule from enforcing before the high court ruling.
Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, assured lawmakers last week in a closed-door briefing that immigrants seeking coronavirus testing or treatment would not be penalized.
Several Democratic lawmakers praised the USCIS announcement.
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, called it “an important first step,” according to CQ Roll Call.
“COVID-19 does not differentiate between the wealthy and poor or immigrants and citizens – therefore, we must close any gaps in our health system so that everyone has the same access to care right now,” he said in a statement.
Police Department Uses AI to Write Reports, Only to Have it Claim One of the Officers Was Turned Into a Frog
Blackstone Stock Nosedives After Trump Announces Plan to Ban Major Investors from Buying Up Single-Family Homes
Trump responds to post suggesting Rubio as president of Cuba: ‘Sounds good to me’
Somali Maine city councilor resigns days after taking office after felony charge, residency questions
Ex-con charged in Christmas Day CVS robbery that left clerk fatally stabbed
Rob Schneider Goes Off on Minneapolis Mayor for Fanning Flames After ICE Shooting
NASA makes ‘unprecedented’ call to bring astronauts home after illness, expert says: ‘Evacuated from orbit’
How One Trump Admin Arrest May Soon Refill the Strategic Oil Reserves Biden Drained
Left-wing group backs tens of thousands of anti-ICE demonstrations nationwide
Lib Reporter Faces Subpoena After Doxxing Delta Force Commander Over Maduro Capture
Charlie’s Legacy: Ex-Playboy Playmate Jenny McCarthy Has ‘Surrendered’ to Jesus, Says Kirk’s Death Immediately Drove Her to Start Studying the Bible
DC pipe bomb suspect pleads not guilty to planting devices at DNC and RNC headquarters
Trump says Venezuela has begun releasing political prisoners ‘in a BIG WAY’
Trump Launches Plan to Protect Americans from Getting ‘Ripped Off’ By Credit Card Companies
MTG May Have Leaked Trump’s Location to Unhinged Activists: White House
Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., an opponent of the public charge rule, also commended the agency.
“I see this as a signal from the USCIS that they recognize that American lives potentially are at risk due to this public charge rule,” Torres said. “We have to encourage people to come forward. I want to make sure that everyone in the household that might have been in contact with somebody that has been infected with coronavirus is able to get tested and get treatment.”
Story cited here.
