Well this is certainly a step in the right direction:
FOX NEWS – The Trump administration on Monday issued a long-awaited rule strengthening the ability of federal officials to deny green cards to immigrants deemed likely to rely on government aid.
Officials described the so-called “public charge” rule as a way to ensure those granted permanent residency are self-sufficient — and protect taxpayers in the process.
“The principle driving it is an old American value, and that’s self-sufficiency,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli told Fox News in an interview. “It’s a core principle — the American Dream itself — and it’s one of the things that distinguishes us, and it’s central to the legal history in the U.S. back into the 1800s.”
“It will also have the long-term benefit of protecting taxpayers by ensuring people who are immigrating to this country don’t become public burdens, that they can stand on their own two feet, as immigrants in years past have done,” he said. “It’s not only a recipe for their success, but for America’s success growing out of our immigration system.”
The new rule takes effect in October and will apply to immigrants who’ve been receiving public benefits for 12 months in a three year period.
But even without the new rule the Trump administration has been using the “public charge” guidance, which has been around since 1999:
There are already signs that the rule could significantly reshape who is being granted permanent residency. Politico reported last week that the State Department has been cracking down on potential public charges — with rejections on public charge grounds surging to 12,179 in fiscal 2019 from 1,033 in fiscal 2016.
This seems based on the idea of ‘merit’ that Trump has been pushing for years, that people who want permanent residency in the US need to add something to the country instead of just being a burden.
Via TRS
