New rule targets legal immigrants on welfare

The Trump administration on Monday finalized new “public charge” rules that will reduce legal immigration to the United States. Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the policy encourages self-reliance and self-sufficiency. “Our rule generally prevents aliens who are likely to become a public charge from coming to the United States or remaining here and getting a green card,” he said. The rule change requires the government to consider an immigrant’s need for public assistance along with other factors, like education, household income, and health.

How does this affect immigrants? Cuccinelli said the rule will not change humanitarian-based immigration programs. But it will affect about 400,000 people a year who already live in the United States and want to become permanent residents. Immigrant rights groups said the rule doesn’t take into account how much other income an immigrant family might bring in from non-government sources. They said it will significantly lower the bar for what is considered dependency on the government.