How Will 'Public Charge' Rule Change Impact Massachusetts?

16:57

August 27, 2019

Tiziana Dearing
Zoë Mitchell
Jamie Bologna

In this Jan. 31, 2019, file photo, hundreds of people overflow onto the sidewalk in a line snaking around the block outside a U.S. immigration office with numerous courtrooms in San Francisco. (Eric Risberg, File/AP)

The Trump administration instituted a recent immigration rule change, one that's a year in the making. This rule, on public charge, links immigrants' future legal status to their use of public benefits: food stamps, housing assistance and Medicaid.

The change, currently scheduled for Oct. 15, would impact immigrants who already live here and are seeking green cards, as well as new immigrants trying to enter the United State.

Guests

Vicky Pulos, senior staff attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

Christina Maxwell, director of programs at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts

This segment aired on August 27, 2019.