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Statement

Trump Public Charge Rule Will Intensify Cruelty Against Immigrant Families

August 24, 2026
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Xochitl Oseguera, Chief Program Officer, MomsRising and MamásConPoder, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the public charge regulation the Trump administration is finalizing:

“The public charge regulation scheduled to take effect on September 18 will force immigrant mothers to choose between taking their children to get medical care and risking their green card status. It will increase poverty, harm public health, and make our country less successful. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued guidance on the regulation last Tuesday; it would allow officials reviewing green card applications to consider whether a U.S. citizen child or other relative has used health or social service programs, even if the green card applicant has not. This is an unconscionable attempt to deter people who have legal status from accessing the food, health care, and other help they or their children may need.

 

“This regulation threatens the health and wellbeing of children who are U.S. citizens, as well as immigrant families who are our essential, valued caregivers, health care providers, neighbors and colleagues. It would force parents to consider that their green card may be denied if they use SNAP or take an injured child to the emergency room. It codifies cruelty and discrimination.

 

“America’s moms are horrified by the public charge regulation. MomsRising Together urges Congress to step in by passing the Protect American Values Act, sponsored by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Judy Chu (D-CA), which would deny DHS funding to implement it. Our nation needs a safe and orderly immigration process that balances compassion and security, not cruelty.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.