MEDICAID AND SNAP PROGRAMS AS
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
PREPARES TO ROLL OUT A NEW
REGULATION TARGETTING
IMMIGRANTS. GOOD EVENING, I'M
JENNIFER PENATE.
(*CHA*)) AND I'M CHAD
MIRA. THANKS FOR JOINING US
TONIGHT. KNWA'S CLARISSA
BUSTAMANTE JOINS US LIVE IN
STUDIO NOW. AND CLARISSA, WHAT
EXACTLY DOES THIS INITIATIVE
ENTAIL? (*CLARISS*))
CHAD, JENNIFER, IT'S CALLED
THE PUBLIC CHARGE RULE.. AND
IT SEEKS TO STOP IMMIGRANTS
WHO NEED PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
FROM LIVING IN THE COUNTRY. AS
THE START DATE FOR THE
INIATIVE DRAWS CLOSER..
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS IMMIGRATION
GROUPS ARE WORKING TO STOP
IT.. WHILE LOCAL REPUBLICANS
ARE SAYING IT'S A NECESSITY.
###
(*CLARISS*)) IT'S A
CHANGE TO A LONG STANDING
RULE.. TIGHTENING RESTRICTIONS
ON WHO CAN CROSS THE U-S
BORDER. MIREYA REITH, FOUNDING
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ARKANSAS
UNITED "INDIVIDUALS WHO HOPE
TO GET EITHER A VISA OR GREEN
CARD IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT ARE
CONNECTED TO INDIVIDUALS
CITIZENS WITH PUBLIC
BENEFITS.. THEY COULD BE
DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET
A VISA OR COME TO THIS
COUNTRY." (*CLARISS*))
THE PUBLIC CHARGE RULE AIMS TO
SLOW LEGAL IMMIGRATION BY
STOPPING THOSE WHO ARE LIKELY
TO USE GOVERNMENT BENEFITS. AN
IDEA ARKANSAS SENATOR BART
HESTER SAYS HE CAN GET BEHIND.
SEN. BART HESTER, (R) ARKANSAS
"CERTAINLY WE HAVE EMPATHY FOR
PEOPLE WHO NEED THESE
SERVICES, BUT THE REALITY IS
THE AMERIAN PEOPLE HAVE PAID
INTO THESE SYSTEMS, THEIR
WHOLE LIVES AND IT IS FOR THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE PAID FOR IT."
13 (*CLARISS*)) WHILE
THE RULE WAS CREATED FOR NEW
GREEN CARD AND VISA
APPLICANTS...THE BUZZ AROUND
THE NEW RULE IS CAUSING
CONFUSION FOR LEGAL IMMIGRANTS
WHO ALREADY LIVE IN THE
NATURAL STATE. MIREYA REITH,
FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
ARKANSAS UNITED "THERE'S MASS
PANIC IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
WE'RE RIGHT NOW SEEING AS A
RESULT CHILDREN NOT SIGNING UP
FOR ARKIDS, WE'RE SEEING
FAMILIES NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF FOOD STAMPS OR FEDERALLY
ASSISTED PROGRAMS."
(*CLARISS*)) MIREYA
REITH WITH ARKANSAS UNITED
SAYS THESE GREEN CARD HOLDERS
ARE AFRAID IF THEY, OR THEIR
KIDS, SIGN UP FOR THESE
BENEFITS.. THEY'RE GOING TO BE
BARRED FROM BECOMING CITIZENS.
MIREYA REITH, FOUNDING
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ARKANSAS
UNITED "THEY HAVE PAID INTO
OUR SYSTEM. THEY HAVE PAID
INTO OUR TAX BASE AND NOW THEY
ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
THESE PROGRAMS BECAUSE OF
FEARS OF IMPLICATIONS TOWARD
THEIR CITIZENSHIP FOR THE
FUTURE." SEN. BART HESTER, (R)
ARKANSAS "IF YOU HAVE LEGAL
STATUS TO BE HERE, AND YOU
HAVE THE RIGHT TO PAY INTO THE
SYSTEM, THEN YOU HAVE THE
RIGHT TO USE THESE SERVICES.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE LEGAL
SERVICES TO BE HERE THEN YOU
SHOULD NOT BE USING THESE
SERVICES. THAT IS TAKING FROM
SOMEONE THAT PAID FOR THEM
THAT NEEDS THEM."
(*CLARISS*)) AGAIN--
THIS NEW RULE IS GEARED
TOWARDS THOSE HOPING TO GET A
VISA OR GREENCARD IN THE
COUNTRY, NOT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE
ALREADY LEGALLY LIVING HERE.
SEN. BART HESTER, (R) ARKANSAS
"OUR COUNTRY IS CHARGED WITH
TAKING CARE OF
(*CLARISS*)) THE NEW
PUBLIC CHARGE RULE WILL TAKE
EFFECT NEXT MONTH.. ON THE
15TH. LIVE IN STUDIO..CLARISSA
BUSTAMANTE.. KNWA- NORTHWEST
ARKANSAS NEWS. ####
(*JENNIFE*)) MAKING
HEADLINES -- A WOMAN WHO WAS
BARRED FROM WORKING AS A
