A Threat to Health and Wellbeing: Public Charge's Expected Impact and How Philanthropy Can Respond

In August, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security filed and officially published its “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds” final rule, which could dramatically impact the health and stability of immigrants of all statuses by discouraging the use of nutrition, health care, and housing assistance programs. On this webinar, funders learned about current responses to the rule—ranging from local-level community education and state-level coordinated campaigns to national litigation efforts—and explored opportunities to support the protection of families and the advancement of belonging in both rapid response and long-term contexts. Speakers also discussed a potential second rule that could expand the “public charge” grounds under which the Department of Justice determines deportation. Speakers included Randy Capps of the Migration Policy Institute, Kevin Douglas of Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Guadalupe Fernandez of the Tahirih Justice Center, Carolyn Wang Kong of Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Sonya Schwartz of the National Immigration Law Center.