Op-Ed
Public charge ruling a devastating
blow for immigrants
BY ANN TOBACK
In a blow to immigrant rights activists
across the country, Monday’s
decision by the U.S. Supreme Court
allows the Trump Administration to
implement a devastating public charge
provision.
Since taking office, the Trump Administration
has done everything in its
power to close America’s “golden door,”
as inscribed in the base of the Statue
of Liberty, to those who come here in
search of safety and opportunity. One of
the ways the Trump Administration has
sought to achieve this is through enacting
changes to the long-existing public
charge provision – a test that is used
by the federal government to determine
if an individual seeking to immigrate
is likely to become dependent on the
government for subsistence.
Make no mistake, this rule is tantamount
to a racially motivated wealth
test that punishes lower-income immigrants
of color in favor of those
with more wealth and higher levels of
education, more likely to come from
predominantly white countries.
It is a mistake to view
people in need as a
burden.
On appeal, circuit courts in other
parts of the country reversed the lower
court decisions to block the new rule,
opening the way for it to go into effect.
In early January, we were able to let out
a small sigh of relief, as a three-judge
panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for
the Second Circuit here in New York
ruled to keep a nationwide halt in place.
But after Trump’s Department of
Justice appealed to the Supreme Court,
the Court on Monday agreed to lift the
hold that kept his draconian policy from
going into immediate effect.
This is personal for us. For 120 years,
the Workers Circle has stood with those
whom America refused to welcome with
open arms.
The American Dream was first,
and is still, an immigrant’s dream; it
has always promised a better life. But
imposing arbitrary rules and regulations
for access to that dream is unjust
and irresponsible. The government
should be making it easier, not harder,
for working class immigrants to move
toward citizenship.
It is a mistake to view people in need
as a burden. In so doing, we fail to recognize
that social supports and welfare
programs are more than just charitable
“handouts.” They are an investment in
people and potential.
While the court has given the green
light to the Trump administration to
close the doors on countless immigrants,
we will continue to work to make the
public charge a thing of the past.
Ann Toback is the Chief Executive
Officer of the Workers Circle (formerly
the Workmen’s Circle), a Jewish social
justice nonprofit.
Fears of brain drain in post-Byford MTA
BY MARK HALLUM
One assurance left in MTA New
York City Transit President Andy
Byford’s resignation letter on
Thursday is that he had confidence the
team he put together would keep the city’s
transit system on track.
But a day following news that Byford
would depart the agency on Feb. 21, signals
chief Pete Tomlin announced that he,
too, would follow the man who appointed
him out the door.
Lisa Daglian, the executive director of
the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee
to the MTA, told amNewYork Metro
that Tomlin is a little-known figure who
holds the system together — and his exit
does not bode well for the MTA’s future.
“Pete Tomlin’s resignation was the
second tough blow for riders in a terrible
week. He’s the guy most New Yorkers
never heard of who would make a huge
difference in their daily lives,” Daglian
said. “A well-respected signals expert, Pete
knows what needs to be done to bring
the subway system into the 21st century
and was just getting underway. Pete and
Andy Byford were really a dream team
and we’re very sorry to see them go.”
The Riders Alliance has fought to hold
not only the MTA, but also Governor Andrew
Cuomo, accountable for getting the
subways rumbling to business as usual.
MTA signals chief Pete Tomlin
With the MTA in the process of modernizing
the subway signal system, they see
see the departure of any expert at this
stage as a major setback for commuters.
“It’s on the governor to make sure the
signals are fixed. It’s worrisome to have
an expert leave at the beginning of the
process,” Danny Pearlstein, policy director
for the organization, said.
Beyond the signals, New York City
Transit will also tackle an array of
FILE PHOTO
herculean tasks without Byford.
Not only does the MTA face the task
of making as many of the 472 stations in
the subway system completely ADA accessible
for riders as possible, it must also
overhaul the century old signal system
and replace it with Communicationsbased
Train Control (CBTC). Some lines
already have CBTC such as the L train
and the 7 line, but the majority of routes
still need the upgrade.
Only as recently as early January has
a $245.8 million contract been awarded
to have CBTC installed on the A, C, and
E lines.
Tomlin was appointed in December
2018 following Byford’s appointment as
president of New York City Transit.
In Byford’s resignation letter to MTA
COO Mario Peloquin, he indicated that
the MTA’s reorganization efforts contributed
to his departure.
“The Alix Partners MTA Transformation
plan called for the centralization of
projects and an expanded HQ, leaving
Agency Presidents to focus solely on the
day-to-day running of the service,” Byford
wrote. “I have built a excellent team and
there are many capable individuals in
Transit and other within the MTA family,
who could perform this important, but
reduced, service delivery role.”
Council Speaker Corey Johnson took
took up an ominous tone to Byford’s
resignation again. He also argued for
municipal control of subways, and told
Twitter followers he would not let talent
such as Byford’s slip through their
fingers.
“It would be much easier to retain top
talent like Andy Byford under municipal
control. It’s time for municipal control
now! Maybe we can bring Andy back,”
he tweeted.
Schneps Media January 30, 2020 13