Medical students lead a push against 'public charge' proposal

A group of medical students from across the country is mounting an effort to collect comments on the Trump administration’s “public charge” proposal. Under the proposal, an immigrant's use of Medicaid and SNAP would be considered a "negative factor" in green card and temporary visa applications. Critics — including medical groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics — say it'll discourage families from seeking food assistance or health insurance.

The proposal is open for comment until Dec. 10. and has already garnered more than 130,000 comments. The students behind Medicine for Migration are hoping to add even more. They're hosting public comment writing parties and teach-ins at medical and public health schools across the country today. Alec Feuerbach, a Mount Sinai medical student and one of the effort's leaders, says "it's our duty as health professionals to fight against such attacks and protect our patients."