Washington
The Trump administration may deny Green Card to immigrants who have availed or may avail government benefits, including food and cash assistance, under new rules which could negatively affect hundreds of thousands of Indians living in the US.

The proposed rule signed by the Homeland Security Secretary on September 21 and posted on the website of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was slammed by the Silicon Valley-based tech industry and political leaders.
According to the rule, foreign immigrants who “seek adjustment of status or a visa, or who are applicants for admission, must establish that they are not likely at any time to become a public charge” unless determined by Congress. Public charge means receiving government benefits.

The latest move to crack down on immigration comes days after the Trump administration told a federal court that its decision to revoke work permits to H-4 visa users, a significant majority of whom are Indian-Americans, is expected within the next three months, a move which will have a major impact on Indian women as they are the major beneficiary of the Obama-era rule.
The DHS proposes to require all immigrants seeking an extension of stay or change of status to demonstrate that they have not received, are not currently receiving, nor are likely to receive public benefits as defined in the proposed rule.

“Under long-standing federal law, those seeking to immigrate to the United States must show they can support themselves financially,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. “The department takes seriously its responsibility to be fair in its rulemaking and is welcoming public comment on the proposed rule. This proposed rule will implement a law intended to promote immigrant self-sufficiency and protect finite resources by ensuring that they are not likely to become burdens on US taxpayers.”

Expressing its opposition to the proposed rule, FWD.us, which represents companies like Facebook, Microsoft, Dropbox, Yahoo and Google, said it “is a backdoor” administrative end-run to substantially reduce legal immigration that, if implemented, will hurt the entire country.