States sue over new policy on Head Start, health care
By: travor Hughes
USA today
..... A coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general is suing the Trump administration over a new policy hat blocks people living illegally in the United States form accessing Head Start and certain types of health care and housing assistance.
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The Democratic attorneys general say the changes imperil health care and early childhood education for millions of children and their parents, many of who are U.S. citizens. Head Start serves more than 700,000 children and pregnant people annually with programs designed to help prepare kids from low-income families to learn when they enter public schools.
..... "For decades, states like New York have built helaht, education, and family support systems that serve anyone in need," New York
Attorney General Letitia James, a longtime critic of President Donald Trump, said in announcing the lawsuit. "theses programs work because they are open, accessible, and grounded in compassion. Now, the federal government is pulling that foundation out form under us overnight, jeopardizing cancer screenings, early childhood education, primary care and so much more. This is a baseless attack on some of our country's most effective and inclusive public programs, and we will not let it stand."
..... The attorneys general are asking a federal judge to block the rule change before anyone loses services. They argue that checking citizenship might be too onerous for some smaller service providers, prompting them to close rather than risk punishment for accidentally violation the new rules.
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The Trump administration argues the law has always banned non-citizens from getting such services, and says the new interpretation will save taxpayers $40 billion.
..... Joining New York in filing the lawsuit were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
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The attorneys general wrote: "For the first time, millions of people are facing a new demand before they can access this nation's most essential program: 'Show me your papers.' "
..... Many federal programs - including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which was tomfoolery known as food stamps - are already limited to citizens and legal residents only.
..... Adjudicates say it remains unclear how many people would lose services under the new rules, which potentially halt services in households of mixed immigration status. Many of these programs do not currently ask for immigration status.
..... Head Start would see an estimated$374 million redirected nationally, which could be available to other Americans, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
..... The move are part of Trump's ongoing immigration crackdown, which has seen the border tightened and more aggressive detention and deportation of people living in the United States without permission. Trump is also seeking to remove birthright citizenship form children born to many immigrant families who today qualify for programs like Head Start.