Story perspectives

Trump Restores Public Charge, Seeks $13 B Savings

7/19/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration revived the public charge rule, September 18, 2026, to deny green cards to immigrants using public benefits.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates the rule could cut benefit spending by $13 billion annually ($111 billion total) and could deter 26 million people, about half U.S. citizens in mixed-status families, from seeking benefits, Manatt Health says.
State Department officials consider a $100,000 bond for green-card applicants abroad to prove financial self-sufficiency.

History

Historical Context

In August 1996 Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, which added a public-charge test that let states deny benefits to many non-citizens and replaced AFDC with TANF. Building on that welfare-reform framework, the Trump administration revived the rule on September 18 2026, projecting $13 billion in savings and targeting 26 million mixed-status families.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration revived the public charge rule, September 18, 2026, to deny green cards to immigrants using public benefits.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates the rule could cut benefit spending by $13 billion annually ($111 billion total) and could deter 26 million people, about half U.S. citizens in mixed-status families, from seeking benefits, Manatt Health says.
State Department officials consider a $100,000 bond for green-card applicants abroad to prove financial self-sufficiency.

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