New Public Charge Rule Guts Legal Immigration Eligibility

WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new regulation that redefines who can be considered a “public charge” under immigration law. The new regulation will likely have a chilling effect on America’s family-based immigration system, drastically limiting who will be permitted into the United States.

The following statement is from Beth Werlin, executive director of the American Immigration Council:

“The Trump administration’s new public charge rule is an attack on legal immigration. It will dramatically reduce the number of people allowed to come to the United States and likely have a disproportionate impact on many nationals of developing countries.

The rule sets an unreasonably high financial standard when asking people to show they can support themselves now and in the future. This will make it much harder for families to reunite, as it leaves their fate in the hands of a government administrator who unilaterally decides their earning potential and likelihood of success based on little-to-no concrete information.

This country was built by those who came here with a strong desire to work hard and build a brighter future. This new rule undermines that tradition.”

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For more information, contact:   

Maria Frausto at the American Immigration Council, [email protected] or 202-507-7526.