New Mexico’s Democratic Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández and 34 other members of Congress signed a letter that was sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) calling for the protection of immigrants’ access to Head Start.
As of July 15, HHS reclassified how it interprets the term “federal public benefit” under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA).
In the past it meant people living in the U.S. could receive benefits under this classification, regardless of immigration status. This is no longer the case.
It’s estimated that more than 115,000 families will lose access to early childhood education services, such as Head Start.
Leger Fernández says she grew up in Head Start, a federally funded program that provides early childhood education, nutrition, and more to low-income children and their families.
“All children in the United States, including immigrant children should have access to quality early childhood education, like Head Start, because we know Head Start works,” Leger Fernández said.
Head Start was created to promote school readiness for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Research shows children in Head Start programs display improved social, emotional, language and cognitive development. It also improves parenting skills among participating families.
These services had been available at no cost to children ages birth to 5 in eligible families, but no longer include immigrants without legal status.
The letter, submitted by Congress members last Friday, urges HHS to restore program access to immigrant children, who the authors say “should not be punished for their family’s immigration status.”
“Trump ran on the idea that he was gonna crack down on immigrants who are criminals. A four and a five year old is not a criminal,” Leger Fernández said.
HHS has not yet responded to the letter.
