There is some evidence that California immigrant families are already disenrolling their children from public benefit programs, even though they are still eligible.
The Trump administration proposes to deny people green cards for using Medi-Cal or food stamps. Benefits received by U.S. citizen children cannot be taken into account, under the draft regulations. But experts say parents could pull hundreds of thousands of California children out of health and nutrition programs out of fear.
San Francisco is the only city in California where parents without U.S. citizenship are allowed to vote in school board elections, but only 49 registered, amid warnings that ICE could find their addresses.
President Obama established DACA — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — in 2012 through an executive order. With a stroke of a pen when he takes office, Trump can eliminate the program.
