Xenophobia in the White House Drives Rule Change

Two years ago this week in Charlottesville, Heather Heyer was run down and killed during a White Supremacist rally. As if on cue, the White House announced today a rule change that US Citizenship & Immigration Services (CIS) workers can use to further limit legal immigrants from receiving green cards and legal status.

CIS workers will now include public assistance benefits, along with education, health and household income, to determine if legal immigrants are eligible to receive green cards.

According to the New York Times, this rule change is"part of a far-reaching new policy aimed at altering the flow of legal immigration and reducing the number of poor immigrants."

"We want to see people coming to this country who are self-sufficient," said Ken Cuccinelli, the acting CIS director. "That's a core principle of the American Dream. It's deeply embedded in our history, and particularly our history related to legal immigration."

Unfortunately, Cuccinelli, as well as the rest of the current White House administration, seems to have a very skewed and mistaken view of history. In fact, for over 100 years, the US maintained an open border admission policy. It wasn't until August 3, 1882, that the 43rd Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1882, which created guidelines for exclusion. 

Cuccinelli also has an equally distorted idea of what constitutes the 'American Dream.' Except for Native Americans, most of us are descended from immigrant families who had next to nothing when they came to the US. 

According to an  Associated Press release, "under the new rules, the Department of Homeland Security has redefined a public charge as someone who is 'more likely than not' to receive public benefits for more than 12 months within a 36-month period. If someone has two benefits, that is counted as two months. And the definition has been broadened to include Medicaid, housing assistance and food stamps (SNAP)."

In general, immigrants make up a very small percentage of those receiving public assistance. Only 6.5 percent participate in Medicaid while 87 percent of Medicaid recipients are US born. Similarly, only 8.8 percent of immigrants receive SNAP benefits, while more than 87 percent are native-born.

Clearly, the intent by the current administration occupying the White House, is to further discourage immigration and punish those who are already here legally - to say nothing of those attempting to seek asylum legally.

The rule change is set to go into effect in mid-October. 

An indication of just how out-of-step the administration is with the rest of the US, during the comment period, this rule change received over 266,000 comments - nearly triple the average. 

Since before the current president took office, he and his administration have sent a consistent anti-immigration message that is racist, and smacks of white supremacy.

The continued separation of children from their families at the border. Detainees being held in filthy conditions in detention centers. A dramatic downturn in immigration quotas set. All of these actions point to an administration that is fueled by fear and hatred.

Of the current rule change, the New York Times noted: "Immigration advocates warned that vast numbers of immigrants, including those not actually subject to the regulation, may drop out of needed benefits programs because they fear retribution by immigration authorities.

The Times quoted Marielena Hincape, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center: “This news is a cruel new step toward weaponizing programs that are intended to help people by making them, instead, a means of separating families and sending immigrants and communities of color one message: you are not welcome here."

What we, as concerned citizens, can do is call our elected Congressional officials and let them know we are against this rule change (in effect the result of the White House circumventing Congress). We can let our Congressional officials know that we are against racism and 21st Century xenophobia, in all of its forms.

The Congressional Switchboard number is: 202.224.3121. 

For Extra Credit: Here's additional AP coverage, which includes Mr. Cuccinelli stating that Emma Lazarus' poem, written on the base of the Statue of Liberty, was referring to "people who can stand on their own two feet."