News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shannon Haber, (213) 241-6766
Los Angeles Unified Applauds Injunction on Public Charge Rule
LOS ANGELES (Oct. 15, 2019) – Los Angeles Unified, which serves one of the most diverse group of students and families in this country, has strongly opposed a punitive new Trump Administration policy that would deny a green card to immigrants who seek government help for their children.
Although no longer scheduled to take effect today, Tuesday, October 15, the “public charge” rule would penalize parents who use CalFresh/SNAP to buy food, benefit from the state Medicaid health program or live in public housing. A nationwide preliminary injunction issued October 11 ensures, at least for now, that children will not go hungry, be denied medical treatment or end up homeless because their parents fear accepting public assistance could jeopardize their application to live permanently in the United States.
“This court ruling is critical to parents in our communities who were facing the loss of essential benefits – including nutrition, health or housing programs – for their children and families,” Superintendent Austin Beutner said. “Los Angeles Unified will continue to work toward permanently blocking the proposed rule.”
When the proposed rule was under consideration, Superintendent Beutner submitted a public comment letter stating it “would be detrimental to the health and well-being of our students and their families, which in turn will have a major impact on student achievement and learning.”
Emphasizing the negative impact on our families and communities, Pia Escudero, executive director of Student Health and Human Services said like New York, California is one of nine states fighting this policy in federal court.
“It is unconscionable to penalize our neediest families from using resources to feed their children,” School Board President Dr. Richard Vladovic said. “No family, no child, should go hungry out of fear of government policies that are targeting our most at-risk communities.”
“Shame on any administration, shame on any leader, shame on any person who would allow poor children to go hungry, to remain ill or become homeless,” Board Vice President Jackie Goldberg said. “Shame on politicians who require parents to make a Solomon’s choice: take care of their children today, or let them suffer with the hope they will be better off in the future if mom and dad can become permanent residents of the United States. Punishing children is not an American value.”
“Only a heartless person would want to deny children food, health care or a safe place to live,” Board Member Dr. George J. McKenna III said. “Thank God, a federal judge has blocked this punitive policy temporarily. This rule should never be allowed to take effect in a country where every individual is valued and children are our most prized resource.”
“It is unconscionable that the well-being of our children is being threatened by the actions of the federal government,” Board Member Mónica García said. “We must do everything in our power to protect our children, not put them in more vulnerable positions.”
“This misguided policy would have allowed children to suffer,” Board Member Scott M. Schmerelson said. “Thank goodness, the courts did not allow it to take effect, today. We must do everything we can to protect and support our immigrant families.”
“More than 80 percent of Los Angeles Unified students are living in poverty, and many of them rely on the food and housing assistance, medical treatment, and other public services that the government provides,” Board Member Nick Melvoin said. “This ruling was a victory, and we will continue to fight for our students and families by opposing this unconscionable rule change.”
“This is the latest development in the Trump Administration’s cruel assault against our immigrant communities,” Board Member Kelly Gonez said. “The change to the public charge rule will put our most vulnerable at risk, our children. It’s antithetical to American values, and it’s just plain wrong.”