The U.S. government has set new standards
for obtaining permanent residency and U.S.
citizenship,... as part of the Trump administration's
efforts to reduce not only illegal but legal
immigration as well.
The goal is to ensure that new immigrants
won't be a drain on public finances.
Kim Da-mi has more.
The Trump administration unveiled a new rule
on Monday... that could deny visas and permanent
residency to hundreds of thousands of people
for being too poor.
The new policy would reject applicants for
temporary or permanent visas who fail to meet
income standards or who receive public assistance,
including food stamps, welfare and public
housing.
Coming into force on October 15th,...the change
aims to ensure that immigrants are "self-sufficient,"
according to the administration.
"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."
The 837-page rule seeks to redefine what it
means to be a "public charge," and who is
likely to be one under U.S. immigration law.
The current regulations, put in place back
in 1996, say the term "public charge" is defined
as someone who is "primarily dependent" on
government assistance, meaning it supplies
more than half of their income.
From now on, wealth, education, age and English-language
skills will take on greater importance in
the process of obtaining a green card.
Showing higher levels of income is now much
more necessary for visa applicants.
Immigrant advocates argue that the rule would
discriminate against those from poorer countries
and eventually prompt legal residents to give
up needed public aid.
AP reported over 380,000 out of the 540,000
applicants every year will have to face the
new evaluations.
And according to the Migration Policy Institute,
more than half of all family-based green card
applications would be denied under the new
rules.
KIM Da-mi, Arirang News.
