Trump Administration Proposal Takes Aim At Legal Immigrants Receiving Health Care, Other Aid From Government
The proposal would expand the parameters that immigration officials use to determine if an immigrant is likely to become a "public charge." Currently, cash benefits are taken into account, but the administration wants to allow officials to consider legal immigrants' use of public health insurance, nutrition and other programs as a strongly negative factor in their applications for legal permanent residency.
The New York Times:
Trump Administration Aims To Sharply Restrict New Green Cards For Those On Public Aid
Trump administration officials announced Saturday that immigrants who legally use public benefits like food assistance and Section 8 housing vouchers could be denied green cards under new rules aimed at keeping out people the administration deems a drain on the country. The move could force millions of poor immigrants who rely on public assistance for food and shelter to make a difficult choice between accepting financial help and seeking a green card to live and work legally in the United States. (Shear and Baumgaertner, 9/22)
Reuters:
Trump Administration Moves To Restrict Immigrants Who Use Public Benefits
The proposed regulation from the Department of Homeland Security would expand immigration officers' ability to deny visas or legal permanent residency to aspiring immigrants if they have received a range of taxpayer-funded benefits to which they are legally entitled, such as Medicaid, the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy, Section 8 housing vouchers and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is commonly known as food stamps. U.S. immigration law has long required officials to exclude a person likely to become a "public charge" from permanent residence. (Torbati, 9/22)
Modern Healthcare:
Trump Proposes Considering Public Benefit Use In Immigration Applications
Hundreds of thousands of low-income children and other members of low-income legal immigrant families could drop out of public programs providing healthcare, nutrition and housing assistance due to a controversial proposed Trump administration rule. (Meyer, 9/23)
The Associated Press:
US Considers Limit On Green Cards For Immigrants On Benefits
The proposal "will clearly define long-standing law to ensure that those seeking to enter and remain in the United States either temporarily or permanently can support themselves financially and will not be reliant on public benefits," the department said. (Spagat, 9/23)
The Washington Post:
Trump Administration Seeks To Limit Access To U.S. For Immigrants Who Use Or Are Likely To Use Public Assistance
The proposal will publish in the Federal Register in the coming weeks, according to DHS, triggering a 60-day public comment period. “After DHS carefully considers public comments received on the proposed rule, DHS plans to issue a final public charge rule that will include an effective date,” the agency said. DHS officials say they are anticipating court challenges to any change. While the proposal does not include tax credits and other health benefits that were under consideration in previous drafts, immigrant advocates have raised concerns that the rule change will force families to forgo help to avoid jeopardizing their immigration status. (Miroff, 9/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump Administration Targets Immigrants On Public Assistance
“Building on the traumatic separation of families at the border, the Trump administration has taken another cruel step,” Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, said Saturday in a statement. “This proposed rule change will similarly result in the separation of families and is just the latest assault on immigrant families.” The proposal would take into account immigrants’ current and past receipt of benefits above a certain threshold but wouldn’t go into effect until the rule is finalized. The rule will be published in the Federal Register in coming weeks. (Armour and Caldwell, 9/23)
