Despite Documented Status, Many California Immigrants Have Negative Perceptions or Experiences of Public Charge Policy
Summary: In this fact sheet, authors present data from the Research on Immigrant Health and State Policy Study (RIGHTS) on the experiences and perceptions among adult Latinx and Asian immigrants in California regarding the federal public charge policy. Respondents reported their perceptions and experiences when accessing health care and using other public benefits.
Findings: Data show that across legal status, one-third (67%) of all respondents had both negative perceptions and experiences/ negative perceptions alone related to the public charge policy. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of immigrants with legal status in California (i.e., non-citizens with green cards) reported negative perceptions. Although the findings show differences between the two races, a majority of Latinx and Asian immigrants, most of whom have legal status in the U.S., had negative perceptions and experiences of public charge in California.
RIGHTS is a follow-on survey of the 2018, 2019, and 2020 California Health Interview surveys (CHIS).
This fact sheet was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Award No. R01 MD012292.
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