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.
Schumer accuses DOJ of breaking the law over redacted Epstein files
Trump admin pausing all off shore wind project construction due to national security concerns
Colorado governor accuses Trump of playing ‘political games’ after FEMA denies disaster requests
US Catholic bishops president says deportations instilling ‘fear’ in ‘widespread manner’: ‘Concerns us all’
Mock funeral held for the penny at Lincoln Memorial as 230-year coin production ends
DHS responds after reports CISA chief allegedly failed polygraph for classified intel access
Former classmate says suspect in Brown, MIT killings was ‘socially awkward’ and ‘angry’ during college years
DOJ restores Trump photo to Epstein files after determining no victims depicted
Man rushed to hospital in apparent self-inflicted shooting at Atlanta airport
Trump’s team reports concrete progress in Ukraine peace negotiations with European partners
Byron Donalds urges conservatives to ‘focus on the mission’ at AmericaFest after 2025 setbacks
Yale professor’s father charged in mother’s decades-old murder, says he ‘used me as bait’: report
Brown Recluse Spider Bite Leaves Woman Virtually Paralyzed: ‘I Couldn’t Feed Myself’
Vance says ‘America First’ movement rejects ‘purity tests,’ welcomes critical thinkers
Fetterman Rips Into Fellow Democrats After Anti-Semitic Australia Shooting: ‘A Rot Within the American Left’
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.
Schumer accuses DOJ of breaking the law over redacted Epstein files
Trump admin pausing all off shore wind project construction due to national security concerns
Colorado governor accuses Trump of playing ‘political games’ after FEMA denies disaster requests
US Catholic bishops president says deportations instilling ‘fear’ in ‘widespread manner’: ‘Concerns us all’
Mock funeral held for the penny at Lincoln Memorial as 230-year coin production ends
DHS responds after reports CISA chief allegedly failed polygraph for classified intel access
Former classmate says suspect in Brown, MIT killings was ‘socially awkward’ and ‘angry’ during college years
DOJ restores Trump photo to Epstein files after determining no victims depicted
Man rushed to hospital in apparent self-inflicted shooting at Atlanta airport
Trump’s team reports concrete progress in Ukraine peace negotiations with European partners
Byron Donalds urges conservatives to ‘focus on the mission’ at AmericaFest after 2025 setbacks
Yale professor’s father charged in mother’s decades-old murder, says he ‘used me as bait’: report
Brown Recluse Spider Bite Leaves Woman Virtually Paralyzed: ‘I Couldn’t Feed Myself’
Vance says ‘America First’ movement rejects ‘purity tests,’ welcomes critical thinkers
Fetterman Rips Into Fellow Democrats After Anti-Semitic Australia Shooting: ‘A Rot Within the American Left’
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.
