Stricter Immigration Rules: Clarifying Public Charge Definition and Financial Requirements.
This bill tightens immigration standards by defining an applicant as a "public charge" if they are likely to use specific public benefits for more than 12 months over a three-year period. It significantly expands the list of benefits considered, including SNAP, most housing assistance, certain Medicaid benefits, and ACA subsidies. The legislation also mandates a minimum $10,000 bond for conditional approvals and increases financial scrutiny for immigrant sponsors.
Key points
Expanded Public Charge Definition: Use of benefits like SNAP, most housing assistance, certain Medicaid, and ACA subsidies can lead to inadmissibility.
Time Threshold Established: Receiving one or more public benefits for more than 12 months in aggregate within a 36-month period defines an alien as a public charge.
Mandatory Public Charge Bond: Applicants deemed likely to become a public charge must post a bond of at least $10,000, forfeited if they use benefits within 10 years.
Increased Sponsor Burden: Sponsors must prove income at 125% of the Federal poverty line, and their affidavit alone is insufficient to overcome a negative finding.
Introduced
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