Immigrants Turn Down Fed Aid For Formula, Healthy Food After Trump Admin Threats

on August 31, 2018 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 31: U.S. President Donald Trump walks toward Marine One while departing from the White House on August 31, 2018 in Washington, DC. President Trump is traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina. ... WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 31: U.S. President Donald Trump walks toward Marine One while departing from the White House on August 31, 2018 in Washington, DC. President Trump is traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Immigrants are increasingly turning down federal assistance for formula for infants and healthy food for their kids in the wake of threats from the Trump administration that the use of government assistance could jeopardize immigrants’ green card chances.

According to a new Politico report, public health agencies in at least 18 states have seen enrollment in WIC — a nutritious food assistance program for pregnant women and families — drop by 20 percent. The agencies told Politico that they’ve seen a significant uptick in phone calls from documented and undocumented immigrants asking to be removed from the WIC program following reports that the White House is considering using the acceptance of public assistance against green card applicants.

No official policy has been put in place yet, but even reports of the possibility have caused widespread panic, Politico reported. The proposal, which has been promulgated largely by White House adviser Stephen Miller, would mostly impact legal immigrants already in the U.S. and those seeking to immigrate to America through legal venues.

WIC is one of the “least politically controversial” public assistance programs that the White House plans to earmark in its proposal because it aids children who are legal citizens, according to Politico. The program gives pregnant mothers and low-income families vouchers to purchase baby formula and fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and other basic groceries. WIC serves nearly half of all the babies who are born in the United States, according to Politico.

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  1. Oh great now more kid’s deaths can be laid at the feet of Miller and Trump.

  2. Think it can’t get worse? Wait 24 hours (or less).

  3. Avatar for nycabj nycabj says:

    So what’s the plan for depriving them of healthcare?
    What kind of sick person targets children?

    [This seems to be a misunderstood post by some, and thus a miss by me. It’s a rhetorical question. A touch of irony. It doesn’t include my tone of voice,. It’s a question that should never have to be posed. I know who the bastards are, as do all of the good folks who inhabit this particular comment world.]

  4. Avatar for paulw paulw says:

    That would be trump. And Miller. And Sessions.

    Next, just take away the votes of anyone who has taken government aid, unless it was aid for rich people.

  5. Avatar for eb5 eb5 says:

    This has been the plan all along. To drive legal immigrants, and naturalized citizens away from the government. It’s also a way to scare people from voting, accessing services they are entitled to AND to refuse to participate in the census due to fear. It’s the long game to under represent many areas and further gerrymander the country. Only way these repubs can win is to cheat and they know it.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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