After a ruling by the Supreme Court last week, a new set of Trump administration rules that could have a far-ranging impact on San Diego’s immigrant population has now taken effect.
Changes to the federal “public charge” rule, which was first proposed in 2018, will make it harder for poor immigrants in America to become legal residents if they rely on safety net programs like subsidized healthcare and food benefits.
News of the rule may have already had an impact on enrollment in social services in San Diego County.
Study: California Could Lose Millions As Immigrants Begin Disenrolling From Healthcare Programs
The San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency says enrollment in Medi-Cal is down more than 11% among undocumented children since a year ago.
"Per our estimates, you’re looking at higher medical costs for families, but approximately $510 million lost in federal funding to the state in California," said Almas Sayeed, an attorney at the California Immigrant Policy Center.
She explained that the potential impact on the state will be far-reaching, as immigrants drop out of the program and California faces a loss in federal funding because of it.
"That loss in federal funding might mean a loss in jobs might mean a loss in economic output, and certainly it means lower health outcomes and people’s lives at stake," she said.
The number of child recipients in Cal-Fresh, which provides food assistance, has also dropped almost 10% over the past year. The county says it cannot prove the decrease in enrollment is caused by the public charge rule.
"Immigrant communities contribute $3.2 billion in tax revenue alone to California," Sayeed said. "Most families who are eligible for these programs are a paycheck away from not being able to feed their families and being rendered homeless."
