(FixThisNation.com) – The U.S. has been a land of opportunity for immigrants over the years. Many have arrived in the country and through hard work and determination have found jobs, bought homes, and acquired wealth without ever expecting that the federal government would provide for their lives. However, that is no longer the case with many of the immigrants arriving in the country being immediately dependent on the state in order to survive.
While in the past the “public charge” rule in immigration law, which dictates that anyone unable to provide for themselves would not receive a visa, was useful, its effectiveness has now been reduced because of the current regulations.
In 2022, the Department of Homeland Security redefined what it meant to become a “public charge” to only be applicable to those who will be solely dependent on the government for sustenance. This means that many immigrants are still allowed to receive assistance for their maintenance from the government as well as receive local benefits without losing their chance at receiving a visa.
The public charge rule has so many exceptions now that it barely blocks anyone from receiving a visa. Some of the exceptions included in the public charge rule include all refugees and asylees, as well as Iraqis and Afghans that had previously worked for the U.S. government. Haitians, Nicaraguans, religious minorities from the former Soviet Union, some Syrian nationals, and a number of other religious and ethnic groups from different locations are able to get an exemption.
Exempt are also those who have an application for being victims of human trafficking and those who applied through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
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