The US government has announced that permanent citizenship will not be granted to migrants who avail of public welfare such as food stamps and Medicaid
The new rule appears to target poor migrants, particularly those who work with low wages and depend on public services or those who need public assistance as per a report from , Agence France-Presse.
For those who are already residing in the US and are using public services, they will not be able to obtain green cards or US citizenship.
“To protect benefits for American citizens, immigrants must be financially self-sufficient,” Trump said in a White House statement.
“Large numbers of non-citizens and their families have taken advantage of our generous public benefits, limited resources that could otherwise go to vulnerable Americans,” the statement said.
The policy could affect around 22 million non-citizen legal residents of the country, and the estimated 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants, most of them-long-term residents.
“Through the public charge rule, President Trump’s administration is reinforcing the ideals of self-sufficiency and personal responsibility, ensuring that immigrants are able to support themselves and become successful here in America,” said Ken Cuccinelli, acting Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
