Another obstacle: who and why cannot get a green card according to the new rules

Donald Trump is committed to ensuring that people receiving government assistance cannot apply for US citizenship in the future. Some experts consider this discrimination.

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For legal migrants who want to obtain American citizenship in the future, another obstacle will soon appear. The US Presidential Administration Donald Trump said that from October 15 to October 2019 new rules will come into force, the so-called public charge rules, which will prevent the issuance of green cards to people who receive or plan to receive assistance from the state, writes DW.

A green card is a permit for permanent residence in the United States and is a mandatory step for those migrants who plan to stay in the country for a long time and later obtain American citizenship.

How US Social Assistance May Affect Citizenship

The rules of public charge, which determine exactly who needs the help of the state and in what form, have existed in American law for a long time. But now the US authorities have concretized and tightened them. And this directly affects the work of migration departments: if a person now or in the future is dependent on state assistance, his chances of getting a green card are automatically reduced.

On the subject: US will not issue green cards to immigrants who benefit from social assistance

With the entry into force of the new public charge rules, the decision to issue a green card will depend on a number of factors. These include health status, and knowledge of the English language, and age, and level of education, as well as income. And it is precisely the level of income as the key criterion that is most criticized.

Julia Gellat of the independent think tank Migration Policy Institute says the provision on the material status of migrants is particularly problematic. “The current level of income can, to a certain extent, indicate a migrant’s future earnings. But the trend is that migrants who move to the United States and stay here for a long time begin to earn more,” says the expert. Therefore, focusing on income level when trying to determine whether a migrant will depend on government assistance does not make sense.

According to experts from the independent think tank Migration Policy Institute, the new rules will primarily affect poor migrants, mainly from Africa and Latin America. They will affect migrants from Europe to a lesser extent.

Trump administration accused of discrimination

Meanwhile, several American states filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco against the administration of President Trump because of the upcoming tightening of migration rules. California, Maine, Oregon, and Pennsylvania justice ministers believe these rules violate the constitution and discriminate against migrants with skin colors other than white.

Abel Nunez, director of the humanitarian organization helping Central American migrants (CARECEN), also criticizes the new migrant income rule. “Migrants contribute to economic development. They take the lowest paid jobs, but then they or their children achieve higher positions,” she says.

On the subject: One time consuming cannabis many years ago could rob an immigrant of a green card

Many of those migrants who previously arrived in the United States would not have a chance today under the new rules, Nunez emphasizes. She cites people from Irish families as an example: “They were almost starving, they were really poor people. But they had a huge impact on the American nation. Today in the major cities of the country there is not a single police station or fire department where there are no Irishmen.”

Better a green card than free lunches: migrants will refuse help

Another question that is causing debate in connection with the introduction of the new rules is whether people to whom the government provides, for example, food stamps and housing subsidies, will receive a green card?

According to the new rules, the list of social services received from the state, which may adversely affect the resolution of the issue of the green card, has become much wider. And although many migrants who do not have permission to permanently stay in the United States, and so can not count on state support, fear makes them now refuse to participate in various humanitarian programs, for example, helping children from poor families. Although getting children free lunch at schools will not affect the issue of issuing a green card, migrants still do not want to risk it.

Nunez also warns about this effect. She notes that one of the results of such policies is fear. “We need to think about the background against which these changes are being introduced. This is another attempt to attack migrants. At first, Trump called them “rapists” and “thieves.” Then he called the countries from which they came “dirty holes.” Then immigration laws were tightened. And all this creates the feeling that they are not welcome in America.”

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