The Effect of Proposed Changes in Federal Public Charge Policy on Latino U.S. Citizen Children in Massachusetts

We estimate the number of U.S.-born Latino children that could be potentially affected by proposed Trump Administration changes greatly expanding the scope of the “public charge” test as a basis for denying noncitizens admission to the U.S. or adjustment to lawful permanent resident status. In addition to reducing family-based immigration, the proposed rule’s association of public benefits with adverse immigration consequences is widely expected to cause a drop in public benefit participation not just by noncitizens but by their U.S. citizen children as well. If this proposed change is implemented, Latino families – which include both noncitizen families and “mixed status” families composed of U.S. citizens and noncitizens – will be disproportionately affected. Our estimates show that between 7,000 and 17,000 U.S.-born Latino children could be expected to drop MassHealth coverage in Massachusetts were this proposed policy to take effect. A drop in coverage of this magnitude could increase the percentage of uninsured U.S.-born Latino children in Massachusetts from 2.6% to a figure between 16% and 35%.

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