The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday proposed a new “public charge” rule that would dramatically scale back the number of benefits legal immigrants can use that would be held against them when applying for permanent residency in the United States, including food stamps and Medicaid.
The proposed change would mark a significant reversal from a 2019 Trump administration policy, which is no longer in effect since the Biden administration dropped it after deciding not to defend it against legal challenges.
“Under this proposed rule, we will return to the historical understanding of the term ‘public charge,’ and individuals will not be penalized for choosing to access the health benefits and other supplemental government services available to them,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.