[IL-Talk] A question about public charge or assistance

[Kelly Pierce]

The reason people cannot give an answer is because the rules are
changing.  In the past, the answer would be no. Under proposed rules,
the assessment for a public charge will also include an evaluation of
a person’s ability to work, attend school or care for themselves.
Under the new rule, paratransit eligibility itself would not be a
program that would prohibit a change in status under the new public
charge rule.  It likely could be used as one of a variety of factors
that a government official could consider in whether or not someone
will be dependent on taxpayer funded government services.  If someone
used paratransit regularly instead of the fixed route transit service,
I would not be surprised if the usage was explored to learn how
independent the individual was in the community without expensive
government supports.

In Illinois, we have two kinds of reduced transit fare programs for
people with disabilities. The first is based on one’s status as a
person with a disability.  The transit agencies use the Social
Security definition of blindness, even if the person is not on Social
Security.  The second reduced fare program provides free transit
service if someone has an income below a certain threshold.  While
state and local government programs will not be considered under the
public charge test of the new rule, someone’s income level will be
viewed positively or negatively when reviewing the immigration
application.  Thus, if you qualify for the free transit program you
may have an income low enough to be viewed negatively under the new
rules. The free transit program may not be the issue, but the low
income to qualify for the program would likely be. If you use the
paratransit program, you may be viewed that your disability prevents
you from being economically independent without expensive government
supports.

Therefore, your question under the proposed new rules cannot be
answered simply. The answer is more appropriate to say it depends.
Even if the new rules were adopted as proposed, the administration, if
elected for a second term, could roll out more rules that are stricter
than the ones they proposed and will eventually adopt in some form.

Kelly
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On 6/27/19, Ayoub Zurikat via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello friends,
> I wonder if someone can be so kind as to help me find the answer to this
> question. So far the hunt for this answer seems to be impossible. I want to
> know if the subsidized or discounted Pace and especially paratransit
> services are considered to be public charge or public assistance.
> Please, if possible, someone let me know as soon as possible.
> Blessings.
>
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