Grossly Mischaracterizing the Public Charge Proposal


Matt Obrien
Unsurprisingly, the stridently pro-illegal-alien Los Angeles Times is criticizing the Trump administration’s proposed new public charge rule. But the Times mischaracterizes the proposed rule, stating that government officials would now have, “broad power to reject people whom they believe might someday in the future tap government programs for financial support.”In reality, immigration officers already have the authority to reject any aliens who appear to be unable to support themselves or their dependents. And they have, since the birth of the Republic. The first public charge laws were enacted by the Massachusetts legislature when the Bay State was still a colony. And the first comprehensive federal immigration law—enacted by Congress on August 3, 1882— included a bar against the admission of “any person unable to take care of himself or herself without becoming a public charge.” In fact, until the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, most admissibility determinations based on an alien’s ability to earn a living in the United States.The Trump administration’s rule would simply clarify longstanding law, which already allows:
- S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to deny immigration benefits to individuals who rely upon taxpayer-funded benefits for basic survival.
- S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport those who are unable to support themselves.
- S. Customs and Border Protection to refuse admission to anyone who is likely to become destitute and require government assistance.
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