Trump Administration Revives Public Charge Rule for Green Card Applicants

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that the Trump administration is reinstating the public‑charge rule, expanding the criteria immigration officers may use to deny green‑card applications. The rule adds the use of Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) and federal housing assistance to the list of factors that can be weighed against an applicant’s self‑sufficiency. The final regulation was filed in the Federal Register on July 20 and is expected to take effect in mid‑September 2026, with a formal implementation date of September 18. DHS officials framed the change as a return to “the basic principle that immigrants must be able to support themselves.” Critics warned that the broader test could create a chilling effect, estimating that up to 950,000 people living in immigrant households might forego benefits out of fear they could jeopardize future green‑card petitions. The rule revives the 2019 Trump policy that was rolled back by the Biden administration in 2022 and has been contested in courts. While the law already requires applicants to demonstrate they will not become a public charge, the revived standard markedly widens the scope of public‑benefit programs considered.