Queens Borough President Melinda Katz
Aug. 28, 2019 By Ryanne Salzano
Borough President Melinda Katz and the New York Immigration Commission will be hosting a town hall next month to discuss the controversial “public charge” rule.
The town hall, scheduled for Sept. 17 at Queens Borough Hall, will address the Trump administration’s new rule, which will make it easier for the federal government to reject immigrants when they apply for green cards or other visas. The rule goes into effect Oct. 15.
The government is currently able to deny a visa application if an immigrant is classified as a “public charge.” Traditionally, an immigrant is labelled a public charge if he or she is “primarily” reliant on the government for subsistence–through programs such as Supplemental Security Income and federal welfare.
The new rule expands the definition of public charge, and immigrants who receive food stamps, housing assistance, healthcare and other benefits-no matter how small the amount–are likely to fall into that category.
Katz said that the rule will have a significant impact on Queens, with many immigrants likely to forfeit much-needed services out of fear they will jeopardize their visa status.
“This cruel, anti-immigrant policy will do little more than push immigrant families in Queens and across this country further into poverty, ”Katz said. “By forcing families to choose between legal residency and food on the table, medical care or a roof over their head, we are endangering not only their well-being but that of all New Yorkers.”
Several states have filed lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s rule, including New York.
The rule does not apply to refugees, asylum-seekers or people who have been granted asylum.
“This proposed rule change would disproportionally impact the borough of Queens,” Katz said. “We are the most ethnically and racially diverse county in the United States. Almost half (47.8 percent) of our population is foreign born.”
For details as to the time and location of the town hall, click here.
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10 Comments
Katz won her new job as DA illegitimately – the queens machine fixed the vote for her and cancelled out valid votes for Caban.
Katz is desperate now – she is a sad politician beholden to the queens machine still run by Virginia joe Crowley and his three attorneys from Long Island a Sweeney Reich and Bolz – who “choose” every queens politician to do their bidding – including Meeks , Meng, Hakeem , and Katz! Suppression of democracy in queens , led by joe Crowley and his goons – still alive and well!
Trumps right on this one.
The issue being pushed hard by the current administration is that immigrants somehow take away from the current residents (who all were immigrants at some point in their ancestry). That is simply NOT true. The immigrants who comes here work hard and contribute to the economy in the same ways by shopping, buying goods and services and often doing the menial labor jobs which up until this point have helped many industries.
This new legislation is guise to further cut programs which often go to woman and children and elderly.
Most of the immigrants here are in the country illegally. How is it that they work hard when they shouldn’t be working in the first place? Please stop re-writing my country’s history, I am not an immigrant, neither are the over 300 million Americans.
they take jobs from Americans and we must pay for the housing , healthcare and support for these unemployed Americans….then the illegals flood our hospitals for free healthcare…that is why 19 hospitals have closed in NYC in the last 10 years….overall they are a major net loss for the taxpayers and they pay no personal income tax…please stop spreading lies
Not really- Is not really for not really informed? I’m actually for closed boarders but I hate misinformation and lies more. 1- Immigrants are hired or given jobs by Americans, they’re not stealing or “taking” jobs. 2-Almost all the hospitals in NYC were sold to condo developers like St. John’s on Queens Blvd, St. Vincent, St Claire’s in Manhattan. Condos are just more profitable than hospitals, that’s capitalism. 3- The burden of illegal aliens on tax payers is because of companies and other types of employers who can’t keep their hands off the illegal cheap slave labor. The people employing the illegals should be fined to make up for the damage they are causing. Stop spreading lies.
1. they aren’t “stealing” they are displacing american workers by working for a cheaper wage 2. those hospitals went bankrupt due to illegals with no insurance flooding the emergency room for free health care…that is why the condos are more profitable 3. the burden on taxpayers is they have to pay for the healthcare, education, incarceration and services for these illegals and the illegals don’t pay taxes….
How about a Town Hall discussing how you can benefit hard working, law abiding, tax paying citizens?
Citizens who see their quality of life decline every year, while their taxes go up and the roads crumble, the mass transit disintegrates.
Yeah, how about speaking on that?
From my experience, Immigrants are just as hard working, law abiding tax paying and business supporting as anyone. Maybe you should attend and perhaps gain an understanding of the people around you? Some fresh air never hurt anyone.
What’s the point of wanting to come to the U.S. and make a better life for yourself if you don’t work for it. No hand outs when my family came here.