DHS could weigh use of Medicaid, housing help in green card decisions
Summary
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is changing rules to allow immigration officers to consider if green card applicants used government benefits like Medicaid, food stamps, or housing help. This rule, under President Trump’s administration, expands how officials decide if applicants can support themselves and may affect hundreds of thousands of people applying for permanent residency.Key Facts
- DHS will remove a 2022 rule that limited use of the "public charge" test for immigrants.
- The "public charge" test checks if immigrants might rely on government support in the future.
- Officers can now review factors like age, health, family, money, education, skills, and use of benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps, and housing help.
- About 588,000 people applying to adjust their status to green cards inside the U.S. will be affected every year.
- Some immigrant groups, like refugees and victims of crime, are exempt from this test.
- There is concern the rule might cause immigrant families to avoid public benefits even if they qualify.
- The rule is expected to be published soon and go into effect early next week.
- Benefits used by family members won’t count as the applicant’s own but may be considered when looking at the household’s financial situation.
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