Trump administration says new regulation will ensure that immigrants are self-sufficient, but higher ed groups are concerned about impacts on legal immigrants and international students.
The Trump administration published a final rule Monday making it harder for immigrants who have received certain public benefits such as food stamps, most forms of Medicaid and housing assistance to obtain permanent resident status. The rules outline criteria the Department of Homeland Security will use in denying applications for admission to the United States or adjustments of immigration status to for individuals who are already living here and are deemed “likely to become a public charge” in the future.
Opponents of the rule say it constitutes an attempt to circumvent Congress to reduce legal immigration levels by providing expansive new grounds on which DHS and consular officials at the Department of State can deny applications for immigration petitions and visas, respectively. Higher ed experts and college administrators say the rule could have a chilling effect on immigrant students accessing benefits for which they’re eligible and could deter foreign students from coming to study here.