Trump admin announces rule that could limit legal immigration [View all]
Source: CNN
Washington (CNN) - The Trump administration released a regulation Monday that could dramatically cut the number of legal immigrants allowed to enter and stay in the US by making it easier to reject green card and visa applications. Paired with last week's enforcement raids on food processing plants in Mississippi, Monday's announcement amounts to a concerted effort by the administration to limit legal immigration and crack down on illegal immigration.
The 837-page rule applies to those seeking to come to or remain in the United States via legal channels. The so-called public charge rule is designed to ensure immigrants can support themselves financially. In doing so, though, it'll likely make it harder for low-income immigrants to come to the US.
Under current regulations put in place in 1996, the term is defined as someone who is "primarily dependent" on government assistance, meaning it supplies more than half their income. But it only counted cash benefits, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Supplemental Security Income from Social Security. Officials can take into account an applicant's financial resources, health, education, skills, family status and age. But few people are rejected on these relatively narrow grounds, experts said.
Immigrant advocates have argued that the rule, as it was proposed, went far beyond what Congress intended and would discriminate against those from poorer countries, keep families apart and prompt legal residents to forgo needed public aid, which could also impact their US citizen children. They also said it would penalize even hard-working immigrants who only need a small bit of temporary assistance from the government.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/12/politics/legal-immigration-public-charge/index.html
Here is a link to the regulation (PDF file) - http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2019/images/08/12/2019-17142.pdf
WaPo article -
By Washington Post Staff
August 12 at 9:21 AM
In one of President Trump's most significant immigration moves to date, applicants could be denied green cards and other immigration benefits if they use food assistance, housing vouchers or other forms of public welfare.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2019/08/12/trump-administration-to-penalize-immigrants-who-use-or-might-use-public-benefits-a-move-aimed-at-curbing-legal-immigration/?wpisrcal_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk1
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