Mayor Bill Peduto on Thursday read the poem “The New Colossus,” which is affixed to the Statue of Liberty, in which the monument — the “Mother of Exiles” — beseeches “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
“When we walk away from these words,” Mr. Peduto said, “we walk away from America.”
And that is what’s happening now, asserted he and other advocates for immigrants. Speaking at a press conference in the Mayor’s Conference Room, they pointed specifically and critically at a new rule published last month by the Department of Homeland Security that will affect a number of immigrants.
The rule redefines in a tougher way whether an immigrant will become a “public charge.” That is the determination whether they will be primarily dependent on government support and, therefore, not eligible for a green card or entry to the U.S. on certain visas.
“To be clear, public charge is nothing more than an attack against families and against the poor,” the mayor said. “And we need to be able to understand that if these types of rules were in place, it is unlikely many of our grandparents and parents would have had the opportunity to become Americans.”
Laura Perkins, emergency response organizer for Casa San Jose, agreed: “I just want to be clear that this policy is based on economic discrimination. They are saying we don’t want people in this country who are poor. That’s the basis of this law.
“It’s part of a context of fear, it’s a climate of fear this administration is working on.”
Currently, immigration officers decide public charge by evaluating whether an applicant for a green card or an individual seeking entry to the U.S. on certain visas is likely to become primarily dependent on government support. The evaluation looks to what is likely to happen in the future.
Conversely, the new rule, which takes effect Oct. 15 and is certain to be challenged by a number of lawsuits, looks to the past. It redefines a public charge as any person who receives a number of public benefits for more than an aggregate of 12 months over any 36-month period. That means that if an applicant receives two different benefits in one month, that counts as two-months’ use of benefits.
“The new public charge makes it more difficult for residents to obtain green cards and keep their families together,” noted Kim Dinh of the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition.
Jacqueline Martinez, an immigration attorney and founder of JBM Legal, said that while the number of immigrants the new rule will affect is limited, “it causes a chilling effect on other people who are otherwise eligible.”
That’s why Ms. Dinh said, “This rule was designed to be confusing, complicated and scary, so anyone who thinks this rule change might apply to them should talk to a trusted attorney who is familiar with public benefits and immigration law before disenrolling from any public benefits programs.”
Megan Stanley, executive director of the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations, said there is concern that “policies like this can lead to unfair treatment and targeting of immigrant populations, which may impact their ability to maintain housing and employment.
“My hope is that as a city we can rise above these fear tactics and see each other as equal human beings and help each other in times of need without hesitation.”
Ms. Perkins suggested residents “speak out against hatred when we see” it as well as have “tough conversations” with family members, be involved in diverse communities, volunteer and donate.
And, she added, “This goes without saying, but be kind to people. In this climate of fear, being kind goes a long way. And lastly, vote.”
Michael A. Fuoco: mfuoco@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1968. Twitter: @michaelafuoco.
First Published: September 19, 2019, 6:23 p.m.
