Trump administration formally proposes plan to limit legal immigration to those not dependent on public benefits

[Valin]

Washington Examiner

Anna Giaritelli

 September 23, 2018

The Trump administration formally announced late Saturday a long-anticipated proposal to change a public rule to potentially favor legal immigrants in the United States who are applying for green cards and those applying to enter the country on visas who have not used or do not have plans to use public benefits, including Medicaid, food stamps, and public housing.

The Department of Homeland Security rolled out the proposal, saying a "public charge," a person who receives financial support from the U.S. government for greater than a select period of time, will become a "heavily weighed negative factor" in immigrant admissions.

“Under long-standing federal law, those seeking to immigrate to the United States must show they can support themselves financially,” Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement. “This proposed rule will implement a law passed by Congress intended to promote immigrant self-sufficiency and protect finite resources by ensuring that they are not likely to become burdens on American taxpayers.

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