AAJA 反對國土安全局修訂公共負擔最終規則 憂慮官員裁量權過大

    (Boston Orange編譯) 亞裔美國人促進正義協會（AAAJ）7月21日發表聲明，強烈反對國土安全部修訂公共負擔最終規則。該協會警告，新政取消重要保護措施並擴大官員裁量權，將引發寒蟬效應，威脅無數混合身分移民家庭的福祉。

    作為全美最大的亞裔民權聯盟，AAAJ曾聯合57個團體敦促國土安全部撤回政策。AAJA指出，新政撤銷了2022年規則的關鍵保障，賦予移民官員過大裁量權，恐導致決策不一與偏見；同時也取消了”移民不會因代表其美國公民家庭成員申請或領取福利而受到懲罰”的保護。

    這項決定對亞裔及太平洋島民（AAPI）社群的打擊將是立竿見影且毀滅性的。亞裔為全美移民比例最高的族群，數百萬人生活在混合身分家庭中。缺乏清晰指導將讓許多家庭因恐懼危及親人移民身分，而不敢申請醫療補助（Medicaid）、食品券（SNAP）與住房援助等關鍵救濟，進一步阻礙合規民眾獲取基本生活保障。

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Opposes Final Federal Public Charge Rule

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the nation’s largest affiliation of independent Asian American civil rights organizations, issues the following statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security’s final rule on public charge regulations.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is deeply opposed to the Department of Homeland Security's rescission of key provisions of the 2022 Public Charge Rule. When this policy was first proposed, our affiliation and 57 partner organizations urged DHS to withdraw it, warning that the changes would create fear, confusion, and harmful consequences for immigrant families. 

By removing clear guardrails and giving immigration officials more discretion, the new policy risks inconsistent and biased decision-making in public charge determinations. It also eliminates important protections that clarified immigrants would not be penalized for applying for or receiving benefits on behalf of their U.S. citizen family members.

Mixed-status households, which are common in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, will be substantially harmed by these new public charge policies. The lack of clear guidance will lead families to forgo essential programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance out of fear that it could jeopardize a loved one's immigration future. History has shown that confusion surrounding public charge policies produces a chilling effect that discourages eligible families from seeking healthcare and other critical support. The effects of this decision on our communities will be immediate and devastating.

Asian Americans have the highest share of immigrants among major racial and ethnic groups in the United States, and millions of AAPI individuals live in mixed-status households. Our communities are particularly vulnerable to the uncertainty created by this policy.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice remains committed to advocating for policies that protect family unity, promote community well-being, and ensure eligible individuals and families can access essential services without fear.