Biden Admin Is Making It Easier for Illegal Migrants on Welfare to Stay in the Country

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will make it easier for certain illegal migrants benefiting from certain welfare programs to stay in the country beginning Dec. 23.

The “Public Charge” rule, which applies to noncitizens “likely at any time to become a public charge,” will no longer consider certain nutrition, health and housing benefits for inadmissibility, according to DHS. Noncitizens who are considered a “public charge” face potential inadmissibility and denial of Green Card status.

A federal court vacated changes made by the Trump administration in 2019 to the rule in March 2021. The Trump administration expanded the rule to include food stamps, Medicaid, cash assistance, Section 8 housing or other government-funded benefits to be considered when determining who is a public charge.

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The benefits that will be permitted include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid, housing benefits and benefits related to immunizations or testing for communicable diseases.

“Consistent with America’s bedrock values, we will not penalize individuals for choosing to access the health benefits and other supplemental government services available to them,” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement Thursday.

Noncitizens who don’t apply for public benefits, but whose family members accept benefits won’t be considered public charges {snip}

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