Rep. Chu and Senator Hirono Introduce Legislation to Defund Trump’s “Public Charge” Rule Attack on Immigrant Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Representative Judy Chu (CA-28) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced the Protect American Values Act, legislation that would prevent federal funds from being used to implement, administer, enforce, or otherwise carry out the Trump administration's finalized "public charge" rule. Scheduled to take effect on September 18, 2026, the rule would make it more difficult for immigrants who rely on certain government benefits to obtain green cards or adjust their immigration status.

The Trump administration's finalized rule rescinds the Biden administration's 2022 reinstatement of the longstanding public charge policy, which made clear that the use of non-cash public benefits-including SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance-could not be considered when making public charge determinations. The public charge test is intended to determine whether an individual is likely to become primarily dependent on the government for support and use that as grounds for denying admission to the United States or adjustment of lawful permanent resident status.

Unlike previous policy, Trump's new public charge rule does not specify which benefits may be considered during a public charge test, granting immigration officers broad discretion to deny green card applications without clear standards or guardrails. As a result, the rule is expected to discourage immigrants from applying for benefits for which they are legally eligible to receive. The rule also removes an existing safeguard that prevents adjudicating officers from considering benefits used by an immigrant's family members, meaning U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents in mixed-status families may also be discouraged from accessing benefits they are legally entitled to receive.

"Donald Trump is once again weaponizing our immigration system against families who are simply trying to build better lives in America," said Rep. Chu. "His revived 'Public Charge' rule is even more expansive and harmful than the version from his first term, when it was ultimately struck down in court. Unlike the previous rule, this finalized policy does not even identify which benefits will be considered in a public charge test, giving Trump's immigration officers sweeping discretion to deny green card applications based on subjective judgement instead of clear legal standards. We know exactly what the result will be. Millions of immigrants and mixed-status families will be forced to choose between putting food on the table, getting health care, keeping a roof over their heads, or protecting their future in America. And when families are driven away from health care, nutrition assistance, and other basic services they are legally entitled to, every community pays the price through worse health outcomes, greater strain on providers, and a weaker economy. It is cruel, it is arbitrary, and it is fundamentally un-American. That is why I am proud to reintroduce the Protect American Values Act with Senator Hirono to ensure not a single federal dollar can be used to implement this shameful policy."

"By removing any guidance for what qualifies as 'public charge' the Trump Regime's rule creates fear and prevents immigrants and their families from accessing services they need-even if they are still entitled to them. In making the pathway to attaining a green card more confusing, the anti-immigrant ideology of this regime is abundantly clear," said Senator Hirono. "The Protecting American Values Act ensures that American tax dollars cannot be used for promoting the anti-American principles the Trump Regime is attempting to implement."

"The new public charge rule will create fear and uncertainty that discourage families from accessing health care, nutrition assistance, and other essential supports that children need to grow and thrive. Research has consistently shown that when families fear immigration consequences, many avoid services that they or their children are eligible for, putting children's health and development at risk," said Wendy Cervantes, director of Immigration and Immigrant Families of the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). "We applaud Representative Chu and Senator Hirono for introducing the Protect American Values Act, which opposes the harmful rule and ensures that children and families can access the supports they need without fear."

"The Trump administration's new public charge policy is causing unnecessary fear and confusion for immigrant communities across the country. Immigrant families will be afraid to seek resources that help them stay healthy, fed, and housed because of this harmful policy. We applaud Senator Hirono and Representative Chu for introducing the Protect American Values Act to block the implementation of Trump's new public charge rule and urge Congress to pass this bill immediately," said Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center.

"The Trump public charge regulation threatens the health and economic security of millions of U.S. citizen children and other eligible people in immigrant families," said Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition executive director Adriana Cadena. "This rule could force parents to make the impossible choice between getting a green card and taking their child to the emergency room. And it establishes a secret process for the issuance of green cards, trading accountable government for politics and bias. We applaud Senator Hirono and Congresswoman Chu for introducing the Protect American Values Act, and demand that Congress act quickly on this critical legislation."

The legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Lou Correa (CA-46), Danny Davis (IL-07), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), John Larson (CT-01), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Fredrica Wilson (FL-24).

It is endorsed by over 100 organizations including: Protecting Immigration Families Coalition, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), National Immigration Law Center, African Communities Together, American Academy of Pediatrics, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), Children's Defense Fund, Children's HealthWatch, Church World Service, Coalition on Human Needs, Community Change Action, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, First Focus Campaign for Children, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), Hispanic Federation, Hunger Free America, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Justice for Migrant Women, Kids Can't Wait, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Network to End Domestic Violence, National Partnership for New Americans, National WIC Association, National Women's Law Center Action Fund, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Stop AAPI Hate, UndocuBlack Network

The full text of the legislation can be found here.