HUF Applauds Biden Plan to Review Public Charge Regulation

President Joe Biden has announced he is directing federal agencies to review the previous administration’s public charge regulations that have effectively denied millions in immigrant families health care and economic support during the COVID-19 pandemic and threatens to undermine vaccination efforts.

Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF) has been deeply invested through the Florida Protecting Families Coalition (Florida-PIF) and through the Children of Immigrant Families Coalition, in mitigating the impact that public charge has had on Florida’s immigrant families.

Over the past year, these coalitions have advocated elected officials at all levels of government for the inclusion of mixed-status families in Federal relief packages. The outcome was the inclusion of millions more families in the December 2020 aid package.

We have also reached out to the families who are directly impacted by the harm caused by public charge to educate and inform. We believe no family or children should forgo benefits they are entitled to because of fear or confusion.

Today is a step in the right direction but the fear and confusion in our community will not be erased overnight. We will continue to educate our community, providers, and elected officials on the steps that need to take place to fully reverse the effects of this hurtful policy.