Trump brings back rule allowing green card denials over public benefits use
Close
The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Health Care newsletter
The Trump administration is reviving a policy that would allow immigration officers to deny green cards to applicants who use public benefits like Medicaid, housing assistance or food stamps.
The policy governs how officials can apply the “public charge” test, which is used to determine whether applicants are likely to rely on government support.
A final rule issued Thursday reverses the 2022 Biden-era policy that only allowed authorities to consider a green card applicant’s use of cash benefits.
The new version provides no limits. Any use of a public benefit, as well as applicant metrics such as age, education, skills and health, can be considered for legal permanent residence as well as for immigrants seeking to enter the country. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin applying the new public-charge framework in 60 days.
“The Trump administration is upholding the rule of law and protecting American taxpayers from subsidizing aliens who may become dependent on public benefits. USCIS is committed to safeguarding the safety, security, and financial well-being of Americans,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a statement.
Critics say the lack of guidance opens the door to immigration officers arbitrarily rejecting applicants while discouraging immigrants from asking for assistance.
“The reach of this rule extends far beyond immigrants coming into the United States. It is designed to punish the citizens this administration dislikes: those in mixed-status families,” American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) executive director Ben Johnson said in a statement.
“U.S. citizens who are fully eligible for benefits will forgo health care, nutrition assistance, and other basic supports out of fear that using them could jeopardize a loved one’s immigration status. That is short-sighted, and the consequences for public health and economic stability will be felt in communities across the country,” Johnson added.
Roughly 1 in 5 Americans are enrolled in Medicaid, while about 12 percent receive food stamps. The programs are available only to those who are lawfully present in the United States, and with Medicaid, migrants are only able to receive care if their state has agreed to cover the cost.
“The Trump administration is once again weaponizing the federal government to make immigrants afraid to go to the doctor, buy food at the grocery store, and even file taxes,” Sarah Krieger, the senior policy counsel at the National Immigration Law Center, said in a statement. “With this new rule, they are sowing fear and chaos to ultimately reshape America into a country where only the few who are white and ultra-wealthy are welcome.”
Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
The Hill Insider is coming
A new all-access digital subscription from The Hill — launching July 2026. Join the waitlist to be among the first inside
How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond:
Senate Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats on Thursday to stop a Trump administration pilot program for Medicare that uses artificial intelligence to approve or deny physician-ordered care. The vote on a resolution to invoke the Congressional Review Act (CRA) and end the program failed on party lines, 46 to 50. CRA votes need a simple majority to pass. Last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services …
Federal regulators approved a first-of-its-kind cholesterol medication from Merck that rivals the effectiveness of powerful drugs already on the market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) greenlighted the once-daily pill called Lipfendra, which reduces “bad” or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adults by inhibiting the production of PCSK9 proteins. Lipfendra is the first drug that is taken by mouth that …
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), grew angry with President Trump’s nominee to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) during his confirmation hearing Wednesday over a misleading social media post about the hepatitis B vaccine. Sean Kaufman, Trump’s nominee to lead ASPR, appeared before the Senate HELP Committee …
Americans get new medicines 3 years faster than other high-income countries thanks to our biopharmaceutical leadership. If Washington copies other countries’ price control policies, we risk America’s access to cures. Learn more
Branch out with a different read from The Hill:
Heavy smoke from wildfires blankets the US Midwest and Northeast, prompting evacuations
Thousands of visitors were told to evacuate a remote Minnesota wilderness area accessible only by boat as wildfires send dangerously heavy smoke over the U.S. Midwest and Northeast this week. More than 100 wildfires are burning in Canada, where a train crew in northern Ontario filmed themselves surrounded by flames before being safely …
Local and state headlines on healthcare:
Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:
You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Presented by PhRMA {beacon} View Online
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
Close
The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Health Care newsletter
The Trump administration is reviving a policy that would allow immigration officers to deny green cards to applicants who use public benefits like Medicaid, housing assistance or food stamps.
The policy governs how officials can apply the “public charge” test, which is used to determine whether applicants are likely to rely on government support.
A final rule issued Thursday reverses the 2022 Biden-era policy that only allowed authorities to consider a green card applicant’s use of cash benefits.
The new version provides no limits. Any use of a public benefit, as well as applicant metrics such as age, education, skills and health, can be considered for legal permanent residence as well as for immigrants seeking to enter the country. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin applying the new public-charge framework in 60 days.
“The Trump administration is upholding the rule of law and protecting American taxpayers from subsidizing aliens who may become dependent on public benefits. USCIS is committed to safeguarding the safety, security, and financial well-being of Americans,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a statement.
Critics say the lack of guidance opens the door to immigration officers arbitrarily rejecting applicants while discouraging immigrants from asking for assistance.
“The reach of this rule extends far beyond immigrants coming into the United States. It is designed to punish the citizens this administration dislikes: those in mixed-status families,” American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) executive director Ben Johnson said in a statement.
“U.S. citizens who are fully eligible for benefits will forgo health care, nutrition assistance, and other basic supports out of fear that using them could jeopardize a loved one’s immigration status. That is short-sighted, and the consequences for public health and economic stability will be felt in communities across the country,” Johnson added.
Roughly 1 in 5 Americans are enrolled in Medicaid, while about 12 percent receive food stamps. The programs are available only to those who are lawfully present in the United States, and with Medicaid, migrants are only able to receive care if their state has agreed to cover the cost.
“The Trump administration is once again weaponizing the federal government to make immigrants afraid to go to the doctor, buy food at the grocery store, and even file taxes,” Sarah Krieger, the senior policy counsel at the National Immigration Law Center, said in a statement. “With this new rule, they are sowing fear and chaos to ultimately reshape America into a country where only the few who are white and ultra-wealthy are welcome.”
Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
The Hill Insider is coming
A new all-access digital subscription from The Hill — launching July 2026. Join the waitlist to be among the first inside
How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond:
Senate Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats on Thursday to stop a Trump administration pilot program for Medicare that uses artificial intelligence to approve or deny physician-ordered care. The vote on a resolution to invoke the Congressional Review Act (CRA) and end the program failed on party lines, 46 to 50. CRA votes need a simple majority to pass. Last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services …
Federal regulators approved a first-of-its-kind cholesterol medication from Merck that rivals the effectiveness of powerful drugs already on the market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) greenlighted the once-daily pill called Lipfendra, which reduces “bad” or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adults by inhibiting the production of PCSK9 proteins. Lipfendra is the first drug that is taken by mouth that …
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), grew angry with President Trump’s nominee to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) during his confirmation hearing Wednesday over a misleading social media post about the hepatitis B vaccine. Sean Kaufman, Trump’s nominee to lead ASPR, appeared before the Senate HELP Committee …
Americans get new medicines 3 years faster than other high-income countries thanks to our biopharmaceutical leadership. If Washington copies other countries’ price control policies, we risk America’s access to cures. Learn more
Branch out with a different read from The Hill:
Heavy smoke from wildfires blankets the US Midwest and Northeast, prompting evacuations
Thousands of visitors were told to evacuate a remote Minnesota wilderness area accessible only by boat as wildfires send dangerously heavy smoke over the U.S. Midwest and Northeast this week. More than 100 wildfires are burning in Canada, where a train crew in northern Ontario filmed themselves surrounded by flames before being safely …
Local and state headlines on healthcare:
Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:
You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Close
The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Health Care newsletter
The Trump administration is reviving a policy that would allow immigration officers to deny green cards to applicants who use public benefits like Medicaid, housing assistance or food stamps.
The policy governs how officials can apply the “public charge” test, which is used to determine whether applicants are likely to rely on government support.
A final rule issued Thursday reverses the 2022 Biden-era policy that only allowed authorities to consider a green card applicant’s use of cash benefits.
The new version provides no limits. Any use of a public benefit, as well as applicant metrics such as age, education, skills and health, can be considered for legal permanent residence as well as for immigrants seeking to enter the country. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin applying the new public-charge framework in 60 days.
“The Trump administration is upholding the rule of law and protecting American taxpayers from subsidizing aliens who may become dependent on public benefits. USCIS is committed to safeguarding the safety, security, and financial well-being of Americans,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a statement.
Critics say the lack of guidance opens the door to immigration officers arbitrarily rejecting applicants while discouraging immigrants from asking for assistance.
“The reach of this rule extends far beyond immigrants coming into the United States. It is designed to punish the citizens this administration dislikes: those in mixed-status families,” American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) executive director Ben Johnson said in a statement.
“U.S. citizens who are fully eligible for benefits will forgo health care, nutrition assistance, and other basic supports out of fear that using them could jeopardize a loved one’s immigration status. That is short-sighted, and the consequences for public health and economic stability will be felt in communities across the country,” Johnson added.
Roughly 1 in 5 Americans are enrolled in Medicaid, while about 12 percent receive food stamps. The programs are available only to those who are lawfully present in the United States, and with Medicaid, migrants are only able to receive care if their state has agreed to cover the cost.
“The Trump administration is once again weaponizing the federal government to make immigrants afraid to go to the doctor, buy food at the grocery store, and even file taxes,” Sarah Krieger, the senior policy counsel at the National Immigration Law Center, said in a statement. “With this new rule, they are sowing fear and chaos to ultimately reshape America into a country where only the few who are white and ultra-wealthy are welcome.”
Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
The Hill Insider is coming
A new all-access digital subscription from The Hill — launching July 2026. Join the waitlist to be among the first inside
How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond:
Senate Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats on Thursday to stop a Trump administration pilot program for Medicare that uses artificial intelligence to approve or deny physician-ordered care. The vote on a resolution to invoke the Congressional Review Act (CRA) and end the program failed on party lines, 46 to 50. CRA votes need a simple majority to pass. Last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services …
Federal regulators approved a first-of-its-kind cholesterol medication from Merck that rivals the effectiveness of powerful drugs already on the market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) greenlighted the once-daily pill called Lipfendra, which reduces “bad” or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adults by inhibiting the production of PCSK9 proteins. Lipfendra is the first drug that is taken by mouth that …
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), grew angry with President Trump’s nominee to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) during his confirmation hearing Wednesday over a misleading social media post about the hepatitis B vaccine. Sean Kaufman, Trump’s nominee to lead ASPR, appeared before the Senate HELP Committee …
Americans get new medicines 3 years faster than other high-income countries thanks to our biopharmaceutical leadership. If Washington copies other countries’ price control policies, we risk America’s access to cures. Learn more
Branch out with a different read from The Hill:
Heavy smoke from wildfires blankets the US Midwest and Northeast, prompting evacuations
Thousands of visitors were told to evacuate a remote Minnesota wilderness area accessible only by boat as wildfires send dangerously heavy smoke over the U.S. Midwest and Northeast this week. More than 100 wildfires are burning in Canada, where a train crew in northern Ontario filmed themselves surrounded by flames before being safely …
Local and state headlines on healthcare:
Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:
You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
- Presented by PhRMA {beacon} View Online