The Trump administration is reviving a brutal "public charge" rule that threatens to deny green cards to immigrants who have accessed public assistance programs.
This includes vital support systems like food stamps, Medicaid, and housing vouchers, marking a drastic shift in immigration policy.
The regulation, known as the "public charge" policy, appeared in the Federal Register and is set for formal publication on July 20.
Originally enacted in February 2020 during Donald Trump's first term to restrict legal immigration, it was rescinded after President Joe Biden took office.
Under this policy, green card applicants must prove they will not become a financial burden or "public charge" on the nation.
The reintroduction aligns with the Republican administration's aggressive strategy to limit both undocumented and legal immigration amid soaring healthcare and food costs.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) defended the policy on its X account, asserting that the federal government is "reaffirming the requirement of self-reliance, protecting public resources and ending policies that encouraged dependency on the backs of hard-working American taxpayers."
.jpg)
The agency emphasized, "Under President Trump, USCIS is restoring the basic principle that immigrants must be able to support themselves."
This rule is scheduled to take effect on September 18.
While the administration's intensified immigration crackdown primarily focuses on deportations and enforcement at borders and within cities nationwide, it increasingly targets legal immigrants and families with mixed immigration status.
Federal law already requires individuals seeking permanent residency or legal status to prove they will not become a public charge.
However, the revived rule significantly expands the range of public programs that could disqualify an applicant.
When first introduced by the Trump administration in 2018, the rule was marketed as a means to ensure only self-sufficient individuals entered the U.S. Immigrant rights advocates condemned it as a "wealth test," while public health experts warned of negative health consequences.
Nongovernmental organizations previously reported that the policy created widespread confusion and fear, leading many immigrants and their U.S.-born relatives to avoid applying for essential benefits and services they were legally entitled to.
