The Trump administration plans to reinstate a policy that could prevent immigrants from obtaining green cards if they use certain public benefits. This includes food stamps, Medicaid, and housing vouchers. Known as the ‘public charge’ rule, the policy appeared in the Federal Register on Thursday. It is scheduled to be officially published on July 20 and will come into effect on September 18.
Under this policy, green card applicants must demonstrate that they will not be a financial burden to the country. A photograph from October 2013 shows a WIC bag in a shopping cart in Jackson, Mississippi. This policy was initially introduced in February 2020 during President Donald Trump’s administration to restrict legal immigration. However, it was reversed when Democratic President Joe Biden took office. The revival of this rule coincides with rising healthcare and food costs as the current Republican administration implements strict policies on both illegal and legal immigration.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated on its X account that the federal government is reinforcing the need for self-reliance to protect public resources. It aims to end policies that foster dependence on taxpayer money. According to the post, President Trump’s USCIS is restoring the principle that immigrants should be self-supporting.
While the administration’s immigration policy centers on deportations and enforcement in urban areas and at borders, it also impacts legal immigrants and mixed-status families. Federal law requires applicants for permanent residency to prove they will not become public charges. However, the Trump administration’s policy broadens the range of disqualifying programs.
In 2018, the rule was promoted to ensure that only self-sufficient individuals immigrate to the U.S. Critics, including immigrant rights advocates, labeled it a ‘wealth test.’ Public health experts warned it could result in poor health outcomes. Manatt Health, an advisory group, predicted that the rule might discourage as many as 26 million people from seeking aid for which they qualify. This group includes both U.S. citizens and immigrants, particularly those in mixed-status families.
A 2020 study by the Migration Policy Institute found that while the rule might create extensive ‘chilling effects,’ the number of immigrants potentially ineligible for permanent residence due to the use of specified public benefits was minimal. At most, 167,000 people, less than one percent of the 22.1 million noncitizens in the U.S. at the time, might be deemed ineligible for a green card based on benefit usage. By 2023, the number of noncitizens in the U.S. rose to 22.8 million, according to the Census Bureau.
Misinformation and fear reportedly led many immigrants and their families to avoid applying for entitled benefits. Nongovernmental organizations criticized the government’s decision to reinstate the ‘public charge’ rule, wary of its potential impact. Adriana Cadena, executive director at the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition, called it a threat to immigrant families and the nation’s economic and health security. Sarah Krieger from the National Immigration Law Center suggested that the rule could discourage immigrants from accessing essential services such as healthcare and food.
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