Trump Administration Rule Limits Public Assistance to Immigrants

The Trump administration released a final rule Monday that requires non-citizens in this country to be self-sufficient and not a strain on public resources.

An alien who receives public benefits above a certain threshold is known as a “public charge” and aliens will be barred from entering the United States if they are found likely to become public charges.

Aliens already in the United States who are found likely to become public charges will also be barred from adjusting their immigration status.

“To protect benefits for American citizens, immigrants must be financially self-sufficient,” Trump said in a statement Monday.

President Trump is enforcing a longstanding law to prevent aliens from depending on public benefit programs. The administration is clarifying the Immigration and Nationality Act to prevent aliens from abusing the social safety nets in the U.S.

The Immigration and Nationality Act makes clear that those seeking to come to the United States cannot be a public charge. For many years, this clear legal requirement went largely unenforced, imposing vast burdens on American taxpayers. Now, public charge law will finally be codified.

Preserving the Social Safety Net

Large numbers of non-citizens and their families have taken advantage of America’s generous public benefits, limited resources that could otherwise go to vulnerable Americans.

78 percent of households headed by a non-citizen with no more than a high school education use at least one welfare program and 58 percent of all households headed by a non-citizen use at least one welfare program.

The rule

The administration will award the status of public charge to any alien who uses or is expected to use 12 months worth of public benefits in any 36-month period. The use of 2 benefits in a single month counts as two months of public benefits.

Upon gaining the status of public charge, an alien is no longer eligible for legal immigration status.

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