In this episode, the Health & Public Benefits Campaign Coordinator at the California Immigrant Policy Center. Benyamin Chao talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about Immigration Policy.

About Benyamin Chao:

Benyamin Chao is the Health & Public Benefits Campaign Coordinator at the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC). His duties include working with the California Protecting Immigrant Families (CAPIF) Coalition to protect access to safety net programs for immigrants in California.

Learn more about Benyamin Chao via https://caimmigrant.org/about/our-staff/benyamin-chao/

Podcast Highlights:

“...Immigrants have been excluded from public healthcare systems.”

-       Benyamin Chao on the topic of unique challenges immigrants face.

“My mom would tell me...don't apply for calfresh, don't share your information because it may give you away or be used against you. ”

-       Benyamin Chao on his personal and family experience under old immigration policies.

“If hundreds of thousands or millions of people in California get access to a pathway to citizenship, that also would allow them to qualify for federal safety net programs as well... And I think the fundamental question is who belongs in California? And for me, I believe, that we are slowly helping people see that your immigration status does not affect whether or not you belong.”

-       Benyamin Chao on his hopes for the future of immigration policy and the discussion surrounding it.

Guest:

Benyamin Chao (Health & Public Benefits Campaign Coordinator)

Interviewers:

Maddie Bunting (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)

Kevin Karami (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)

Music by: C Codaine

https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625

https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase

Upbeat Emotive by Fretbound

https://www.fretbound.com/

Video Link: https://youtu.be/F_8EMeRnd40

This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/

Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.