Tell Congress: Co-Sponsor the LIFT the BAR Act Today!

25 years ago, Congress passed a law that blocked immigrants who had not had their “green card” for at least five years from accessing health care, food aid, or income assistance. It also said that many other categories of immigrants, like TPS holders or COFA migrants, shouldn’t get any assistance at all.

It is past time to restore access to necessary health care and social services for immigrants by taking this first step towards justice and repealing that 1996 law. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Senator Mazie Hirono have introduced the LIFT the BAR Act, which, if passed, would make all lawfully present immigrants eligible for federal programs like Medicaid, SNAP, CHIP, TANF, and SSI — without waiting periods.

States around the country have taken action to make all immigrants, regardless of status, eligible for assistance, so the least Congress can do is take the first step by undoing the racist, xenophobic 1996 law. You can learn more on our LIFT the BAR Act factsheet and through our partners in the Protecting Immigrant Families network.

Tell your members of Congress: Co-sponsor the LIFT the BAR Act today >>>

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Will you cosponsor the LIFT the BAR Act? This legislation would allow lawfully present immigrants to access public assistance programs without harmful waiting periods and bureaucratic differentiations by immigration status.

During the pandemic, many immigrants and their loved ones don’t have access to health insurance, food aid, emergency assistance, and other programs because of a 1996 law that arbitrarily decided that certain people were undeserving of help. I know that these restrictions have only exacerbated health disparities and cost state and local governments a lot of money.

I do not think that hundreds of thousands of immigrants, including essential workers who often are underpaid to work while exposed to health hazards, should be excluded from programs like Medicaid, CHIP and SNAP. Please take an important step towards health and racial justice by cosponsoring the LIFT the BAR Act today.

Thank you,
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