2019 Public Charge Rule Vacated and Removed

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of Public Affairs

2019 Public Charge Rule Vacated and Removed

DHS Withdraws Proposed Rule Regarding the Affidavit of Support

WASHINGTON—Today, DHS filed for public inspection with the Federal Register a rule that formally removes from the Code of Federal Regulations the now-vacated 2019 rule on public charge inadmissibility.  On March 9, 2021, a court order vacating the 2019 public charge rule went into effect, and DHS immediately stopped applying the rule.  Today’s rule completes the last step in implementing that vacatur. 

“Today, DHS closed the book on the public charge rule and is doing the same with respect to a proposed rule regarding the affidavit of support that would have placed undue burdens on American families wishing to sponsor individuals lawfully immigrating to the U.S.,”  said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.  “In the weeks ahead, we will work with our federal agency partners and community leaders to ensure immigrants and their families have accurate information about our public charge policies. DHS is committed to implementing reforms that improve our immigration system and reduce unnecessary barriers to legal immigration.”

As DHS announced on March 9, as a result of the vacatur, the 1999 interim field guidance on the public charge inadmissibility provision (i.e., the policy that was in place before the 2019 public charge rule) is now in effect.  

Today, DHS also submitted a notice to the Federal Register withdrawing an Oct. 2, 2020, proposed rulerelated to the affidavit of support. Under Section 213A of the INA, USCIS requires an affidavit of support for most family-sponsored immigrants and some employment-based immigrants. The individual who signs the affidavit agrees to financially support the named immigrant and becomes the sponsor once the intending immigrant becomes a lawful permanent resident. The affidavit of support proposed rule would have changed evidentiary requirements to impose new, costly burdens, estimated at $240 million annually, on those sponsoring lawful immigrants.

Cloture and Fililbuster rules in the US Senate

Dear Mr. Hamster,

     Thank you for contacting me about the cloture and filibuster rules in the United States Senate. It is an honor to serve Arizona in the United States Senate, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts on the issues facing our state and our country. Hearing from Arizonans helps me better serve our state, and I hope you will continue to share your perspectives and suggestions.

     The filibuster is a procedural feature in the United States Senate that allows Senators to prolong debate on a bill or nomination. Debate on a piece of legislation can only end if there is a unanimous agreement to proceed to final consideration of a bill or nomination, or if senators vote in favor of a cloture motion. The ability to filibuster and prevent final consideration of a bill has been used to slow the legislative process and prevent votes on legislation. Many Arizonans are frustrated by Senate procedures that delays the ability of Congress to pass legislation. As Arizona’s Senator, I am focused on delivering results for Arizonans by working with my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, to pass commonsense, bipartisan legislation in the United States Senate, which is widely supported and therefore not subject to cloture rules. 

     Article 1, Section 5 of the Constitution allows each chamber of Congress to set the rules for how they consider legislation. Senate Rule XXII sets the threshold for ending debate on a filibuster, also known as a “cloture motion,” at 60 votes for legislation, and 51 votes for the consideration of nominations. No proposal to change the Senate’s filibuster or cloture rules have been formally proposed this year.

     In recent years, some have argued that Senate filibuster and cloture rules should be modified to allow proposed legislation to be considered more quickly, with a simple majority of votes, while others contend that the Senate’s current rules ensure full consideration of a bill before the Senate votes. All Arizonans can agree that when possible, Senators should work to consider bipartisan solutions to solve the pressing challenges faced by our nation. As Arizona’s Senator, I will work with Republicans and Democrats to find commonsense, bipartisan solutions to the challenges Arizonans face, including lowering the cost of health care, combating the coronavirus, and helping every Arizonan get a good paying job.

     Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this issue, and I hope you will continue to contact my office with any future comments or questions. I am committed to being transparent and accountable with all Arizonans, which is why I release my public schedule every week at kelly.senate.gov. There you can also learn more about my work as Arizona’s senator.

Sincerely, I

Mark Kelly
United States Senator

We secured Arizona’s priorities in the coronavirus relief package

Peter,
We have good news for Arizona. Working closely with Arizona health care providers, educators, small business owners, and local leaders, we secured critical priorities for our state in the coronavirus relief bill approved by the U.S. Senate.
The legislation boosts vaccinations, supports employers, provides budget support to prevent cuts to local first responders and essential services, strengthens Arizona schools and broadband access, extends unemployment insurance, supports tribal communities, and provides aid for rural Arizona hospitals and providers.
The relief package includes the following priorities we’ve championed for Arizona over the past several months:
– Investments in Arizona health care, hospitals, and providers: including support for more vaccines and vaccinators, expanded testing and infection-tracking, more personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers and first responders, $8.5 billion for rural hospitals and health care providers, $14.5 billion for veterans’ health services, and $6 billion for the Indian Health Service and tribal health.
– Resources for Arizona families, employers, and workers: including our Restaurant Rescue Plan to keep independent restaurants open, extended unemployment insurance, enhanced Child Tax Credits and Earned Income Tax Credits, $1.4 billion to support older Arizonans, resources for Arizona schools, enhanced broadband internet service, and $4.5 billion to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
– Budget support for communities and Tribal governments across Arizona: including $110 million for border communities and non-governmental organizations, $20 billion for Tribal governments, $900 million for critical Bureau of Indian Affairs programs, and more than $1.1 billion for Native education programs.
This legislation provides Arizona with needed relief to address our ongoing public health crisis and begin a full economic recovery.
Once the bill is signed into law, we’ll continue working closely with Arizona communities to ensure these resources are distributed quickly and appropriately, and my team and I will be ready to assist Arizonans with accessing this new support.
We’ll keep updating our website regularly to provide Arizonans with more resources and support: https://www.sinema.senate.gov/corona.

Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA)

Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA)
— Read on baseball.mlbpaa.com/site/MessageViewer

The Little Boy and the Angel

The little boy put on his clothes for the cold and then told his father:

“Ok dad I’m ready”

His Dad, the pastor, said: “Ready for what?”

“Dad, it’s time to go outside and distribute our flyers.”

Dad replied: “Son, it’s very cold outside and it’s drizzling.”

The child looked surprised at his father and said: “But dad, people need to know about God even on rainy days.”

Dad replied, “Son, I’m not going outside in this weather.”

With despair, the child said: “Dad, can I go alone? Please!”

His father waited for a moment and then said: “Son, you can go. Here’s the flyers, be careful.”

“Thank you dad!”

And with this, the son went out into the rain. The 11-Year-old walked all the streets of the village, handing out the flyers to the people he saw.

After 2 hours walking in the rain and cold and with his last flyer in his hand, he stopped at a corner to see if he saw someone to give the flyer to, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned to the first house he saw, walked to the front door, rang the bell several times and waited, but no one came out.

Finally the boy turned to leave… but something stopped him. The child turned back to the door and began to ring the bell and pound the door strongly with his knuckles. He kept waiting. Finally the door was opened gently.

A lady came out with a very sad look and gently asked:

“What can I do for you, son?

With radiant eyes and a bright smile the child said:

“Lady, I’m sorry if I upset you, but I just want to tell you that God really loves you and that I came to give you my last flyer, which talks about God and His great love.

The boy then gave her the flyer.

She just said, “Thank you, son, God bless you!”

Well, next Sunday morning, the pastor was in the pulpit and when the service began he asked:

“Does someone have a testimony or something they want to share?”

Gently, in the back row of the church, an older lady stood up. When she started talking, a radiant and glorious look sprouted from her eyes:

“Nobody in this church knows me. I have never been here, even last Sunday I was not Christian.

My husband died a while ago leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday was a particularly cold and rainy day, and it was also in my heart; that on that day I came to the end of the road, since I had no hope and didn’t want to live anymore.

Then I took a chair and a rope and went up to the attic of my house. I tied a noose and the other end of the rope to the rafters of the roof; then I climbed onto the chair and put the rope around my neck.

I then stood on the chair, so alone and heartbroken, I was about to throw myself off the chair, when suddenly I heard the loud sound of the door being knocked.

So I thought: “I’ll wait for a minute and whoever it is will go”

I waited and waited, but the door knocking was getting louder and louder every time. It got so loud that I couldn’t ignore it anymore. 

So I wondered, who could it be?

No one ever comes close to my door or comes to visit me!

I released the rope from my neck and went to the door, while the bell was still ringing and the door was still being knocked on.

When I opened the door, I couldn’t believe what my eyes saw, in front of my door was the most radiant and angelic child I’ve ever seen.

He’s smile, ohhh, I can never describe it! The words that came out of his mouth made my heart, dead so long ago, come back to life, when he said with the VOICE OF CHERUB: “Lady, I just want to tell you that God really loves you”

“When the little angel disappeared between the cold and the rain, I closed my door and read every word of the flyer.

Then I went to the attic to remove the chair and rope.

I didn’t need them anymore. As you see. Now I am a happy daughter of the King.

Since the direction of the boy, when he left, was to this church, I came personally say thank you to that little angel of God who came just in time and, in fact, to rescue my life from an eternity in hell. And replaced it with an eternity in God’s presence. “

Everyone cried in the church.

The Pastor came down from the pulpit to the first bench of the front, where the little angel was sitting; he took his son in his arms and cried uncontrollably.

Don’t let this message die of cold; after reading it, pass it on to others.

Remember, God’s message can make a big difference in someone’s life, never be afraid to spread it.

Can I get an AMEN?