Fighting the Chilling Effect: Ensuring the Health & Well-Being of Immigrants

About

Whether we’re tenth generation American or a newcomer, Black, White, or Brown, most of us try to treat people how we’d want to be treated. New immigrants work hard to make life better for themselves and come here to bring new ideas and new energy to our nation. However, immigration policies at the federal level have created fear among immigrants and their families, causing eligible people to go without access to health care and other important supports. This chilling effect harms immigrants’ health, and creates challenges for our state level MediCal expansion to undocumented young adults, and proposed expansion to undocumented seniors.

Thirty percent of Bay Area residents are immigrants. They are our neighbors, teachers, friends, coworkers, and family. Ever since the changes to the public charge rule were proposed, immigrant community members have been declining to enroll or dis-enrolling themselves and their children from legally eligible benefits, including programs that are not subject to the expanded public charge rule. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that the expanded public charge rule can take effect while litigation continues, it's critically important for communities to respond quickly to protect and support our immigrant neighbors.

How are Bay Area communities responding to ensure immigrant residents have the services they need to be healthy, safe, and live with dignity? Join us at the next Bay Area Health Funders Group meeting for lunch and a discussion on how local communities are responding to ensure immigrants have access to the health care, legal aid, and food assistance services they need to thrive. Strategize with your philanthropy colleagues on how to engage and connect to support the health and well-being of our immigrant community members.