SEPTEMBER 20, 2026
Contact: media@haitianbridge.org,  Paige Censale, pcensale@haitianbridge.org

SAN DIEGO, CA — The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) strongly opposes the Trump administration’s expanded public charge rule, which took effect September 18th and broadens the public benefits immigration officials may consider when evaluating certain green card and visa applicants.

HBA is particularly concerned about the rule’s potential impact on Haitian and other Black immigrant communities, including mixed-status families. While receipt of a public benefit does not automatically make someone inadmissible, the expanded standard gives immigration officers broader discretion to consider certain means-tested benefits as part of a public-charge determination.

“This rule will create fear and uncertainty for immigrant families who are legally eligible for essential health, food and other public benefits,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance. “No family should have to choose between accessing basic necessities and protecting their future in this country. HBA stands firmly against policies that place unnecessary barriers between immigrant families and the resources they are legally entitled to receive.”

HBA urges immigrant families not to make decisions based on misinformation or fear and encourages individuals to consult qualified immigration legal service providers about their specific circumstances.

ABOUT HAITIAN BRIDGE ALLIANCE

Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), also known as “The Bridge”, is a grassroots community organization that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies, foreign policy, and provides migrants and immigrants with humanitarian, legal, and social services, with a particular focus on Black migrants, the Haitian community, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and survivors of torture and other human rights abuses. HBA also seeks to elevate the issues unique to Black migrants and builds solidarity and collective movement toward policy change. Anpil men chay pa lou (“Many hands make the load light”). Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook: @haitianbridge