How a New Trump Administration Rule Could Restrict Access to Green Cards—and Confront Immigrants With a Tough Choice

President Donald Trump walks on his way to attend a dinner in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C. —Anna Moneymaker—Getty Images President Donald Trump ’s Administration is rolling out a new rule that experts predict will make it more difficult for immigrants to get green cards if they access public assistance programs, such as Medicaid and food stamps—and could deter those hoping to obtain the status from enrolling in public benefits.

The rule, which goes into effect on Friday, updates a policy dating back to the 19th century that the U.S. has long used to prohibit immigrants who are believed to be likely to become a “public charge” from getting green cards.

Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has argued that the change “is restoring the basic principle that immigrants must be able to support themselves,” adding that it is “reaffirming the requirement of self-reliance, protecting public resources, and ending policies that encouraged dependency on hard-working American taxpayers.” The rule marks the latest move in Trump’s efforts to sharply restrict both illegal and legal immigration.

The President enacted a similar change during his first Administration, but the effort was subjected to court challenges and ultimately rescinded by his successor, Joe Biden.

The new rule has already been challenged in court by a coalition of more than a dozen states, including New York and California.

It’s unclear at this point how the ongoing litigation will affect the rollout of the rule.

Here’s what to know about the new rule and how it could affect immigrants.

What is the “public charge” rule? With its new policy, the Trump Administration is implementing a change to what’s known as the “public charge” rule, a policy first established under the Immigration Act of 1882.

Since then, one factor that the U.S. government has considered when reviewing green card applications is whether the applicant is likely to become dependent on government assistance.

Historically, officials reviewing these types of applications have only taken into account cash benefit programs—for instance, Supplemental Security Income from Social Security—as “public benefits” that could lead to an immigrant being deemed a “public charge” and having their green card application denied.

They have usually not deemed non-cash public benefits, such as Medicaid and food stamps, as programs that would disqualify an immigrant from obtaining permanent resident status.