Trump brings back rule allowing green card denials over public benefits use

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Trump brings back rule allowing green card denials over public benefits use

The Trump administration is reviving a policy that would allow immigration officers to deny green cards to applicants who use public benefits like Medicaid, housing assistance or food stamps.  

The policy governs how officials can apply the “public charge” test, which is used to determine whether applicants are likely to rely on government support. 

A final rule issued Thursday reverses the 2022 Biden-era policy that only allowed authorities to consider a green card applicant’s use of cash benefits.  

The new version provides no limits. Any use of a public benefit, as well as applicant metrics such as age, education, skills and health, can be considered for legal permanent residence as well as for immigrants seeking to enter the country. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin applying the new public-charge framework in 60 days. 

“The Trump administration is upholding the rule of law and protecting American taxpayers from subsidizing aliens who may become dependent on public benefits. USCIS is committed to safeguarding the safety, security, and financial well-being of Americans,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a statement. 

Critics say the lack of guidance opens the door to immigration officers arbitrarily rejecting applicants while discouraging immigrants from asking for assistance. 

“The reach of this rule extends far beyond immigrants coming into the United States. It is designed to punish the citizens this administration dislikes: those in mixed-status families,” American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) executive director Ben Johnson said in a statement. 

“U.S. citizens who are fully eligible for benefits will forgo health care, nutrition assistance, and other basic........

© The Hill