‘Green’ screen

Feds to deny cards to immigs on aid

The Trump administration unveiled a rule change on Monday that will give federal officials more leeway to deny green cards to immigrants considered likely to rely on government aid like food stamps, housing assistance or Medicaid.

“We want to see people coming to this country who are self-sufficient,” Ken Cuccinelli (inset), acting director of Citizenship and Immigration Services, said at the White House. “That’s a core principle of the American dream. It’s deeply embedded in our history, and particularly our history related to legal immigration.”

The rule will go into effect Oct. 15 and will expand the definition of “public charge,” which Congress first approved in 1882 to ensure immigrants are self-sufficient.

The new rule will define a “public charge” as someone who receives one or more benefits for more than 12 months in a 36-month period and who needs a wide range of public assistance, including Medicaid, housing vouchers or help buying food through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

It updates guidelines, on the books since 1999, that defined the term as someone who is “primarily dependent” on the governmentment and who received d cash benefits, like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Supplemental Security Income from Socialocial Security.

Cuccinelli said the change will affect about 400,000 people a year “whose application to become a legal permanent resident will include a meaningful analysis whether or not they are likely to become a public charge or not.” Along with the benefits assessment, government officials also would review an applicant’s age, health, family status, financial resources and ability to communicate in English. “Through theth public charge rule, the Trump administration is reinforcing the ideals of selfsufficiencysufficiency and personal responsibility, ensuring that immigrants are able to support themselves and become successful here in America,” Cuccinelli said.

Throughout US history, “Americans and legal immigrants have pulled themselves by their bootstraps to pursue their dreams and the opportunity of this great nation,” he added.

Cuccinelli also said the rule will have the “long-term benefit” of protecting taxpayers by ensuring the immigrants “don’t become public burdens.”

President Trump is delivering on his promise to “uphold the rule of law” and “promoting our shared history and encouraging the core values needed to make the American dream a reality,” Cuccinelli said.

A number of immigrant advocacy groups said they will sue to block the new rule because it discriminates against low-income applicants.