Trump To Deny Green Cards for Migrants Who Use Public Benefits

In the latest move to curb immigration, the Trump administration announced a proposed rule Saturday that will deny green cards to immigrants who claim or depend on public benefits like food stamps, Medicaid or public housing. The rule will be applicable to immigrants already in the United States legally and those who are seeking to enter.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) listed a range of benefits which, if claimed, would disqualify immigrants seeking visas or green cards. The DHS added that the rule would not apply to refugees and asylum holders in the United States.

DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement Saturday that "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 taxpayer.”

The proposal is based on a 1999 rule that limited green card for immigrants who were dependent on cash benefits. It, however, did not take into account non-cash benefits like listed above. Originally, the rule which is known as “public charge” began in the 1800s for the U.S. to deny entry to immigrants who were a possible burden on the country’s economy.

As per the proposal which might become a rule after a brief public comment period, appliers of the green card will have to prove that they will not be dependent on the state.

The proposal drew criticisms from various rights groups in the country. Many immigration rights group like the National Immigration Law Centre, slammed the proposal calling it “another cruel step” of the U.S. administration.

The executive director of National Immigration Law Centre, Marielena Hincapie said in a statement, "How you contribute to your community - and not what you look like or the contents of your wallet - should be what matters most. This proposed rule does the opposite and makes clear that the Trump administration continues to prioritize money over family unity by ensuring that only the wealthiest can afford to build a future in this country."

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) which fought against Trump’s ban of immigrants from Muslim-majority countries in 2017 by providing legal aid to stranded migrants, wrote on Twitter that it is a "new attempt to kick and keep immigrants out of our country and attack people with disabilities".

"If adopted, the rule will create a nationwide health crisis impacting millions, and deter families from seeking vital medical care when they need it the most," Attorney-in-Charge Adriene Holder of The Legal Aid Society said in a statement published on Twitter. "This proposal is radical and dangerous, and wholly against our values and principles as a nation founded by immigrants."