{"id":2234,"date":"2026-08-11T17:12:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T17:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/?p=2234"},"modified":"2026-08-11T17:14:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T17:14:59","slug":"trump-expands-public-charge-rule-for-green-card-applicants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/uncategorized\/trump-expands-public-charge-rule-for-green-card-applicants\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump expands public charge rule for green card applicants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>The measure is raising concerns among immigrant families over healthcare, food assistance and permanent residency.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Donald Trump administration will once again expand the scope of the so-called \u201cpublic charge\u201d rule starting September 18, 2026. The measure changes how immigration authorities will evaluate certain applications for permanent residency, commonly known as green cards, allowing them to consider a broader set of circumstances when determining whether a person could become dependent on public benefits in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The change is also raising concerns among mixed-status families, in which one or more members may be U.S. citizens while others are navigating an immigration process. Experts who participated in an American Community Media press conference warned that the rule\u2019s effects could extend beyond green card applicants, as families may become afraid to use healthcare and food assistance programs such as Medicaid, CHIP and SNAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What changes for green card applicants?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The public charge rule has been part of U.S. immigration law for more than a century and is intended to determine whether a person seeking admission to the country or permanent residency is likely to become primarily dependent on government assistance. What has changed over time is which factors are considered in that assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Starting September 18, immigration authorities will return to a broader approach than the standard in place since 2022. Xiao Wang, CEO and co-founder of Boundless Immigration, explained during the conference that officials previously relied on more specific criteria to assess an applicant\u2019s financial situation. Under the new rule, they will be able to review the applicant\u2019s circumstances as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Factors that may be considered include the applicant\u2019s age, health, family situation, financial resources and assets, education, skills and other elements related to their ability to support themselves. This means the assessment will no longer be limited to certain financial criteria or the use of specific benefits, but may instead take a broader view of the applicant\u2019s personal circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure could primarily affect people applying for a green card from within the United States through adjustment of status, as well as those applying for permanent residency from abroad. These cases include family-based applications filed by spouses, parents and children of U.S. citizens or permanent residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, certain categories are exempt by law, including refugees and asylees, certain special immigrant juveniles, trafficking survivors, some victims of crimes applying for T or U visas, and individuals protected under VAWA. The rule also does not apply to people who already hold a green card and are applying for U.S. citizenship through naturalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another relevant factor is the filing date. According to the information presented during the conference, green card applications filed before September 18 will continue to be evaluated under the current rules, even if a decision is made later. For those who are prepared and eligible to file an application, submitting it before that date keeps the case under the more limited standard currently in effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mixed-status families face fears over losing benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the rule applies to certain immigration processes, experts warned of a broader effect that could reach families who are not directly subject to it. The concern is that people may avoid using public programs because they fear doing so could hurt a future immigration application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mixed-status families are particularly vulnerable to this situation. Joan Alker, executive director of Georgetown University\u2019s Center for Children and Families, explained that one in four children in the United States lives in a mixed-status family. In these households, children may be U.S. citizens while one of their parents has a different immigration status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That fear could lead parents to stop enrolling their children in healthcare or food assistance programs, even when those children are U.S. citizens and meet the eligibility requirements. During the first implementation of a broader version of the rule, the Urban Institute found that one in five adults in immigrant families with children had avoided using a public benefit for which they were eligible because they feared it could affect their immigration status. Among lower-income families, the share reached three in ten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This effect may be particularly significant because, as Wang explained, benefits received by family members, including U.S. citizen children, generally are not considered benefits received by the green card applicant. In other words, families\u2019 fears may ultimately be greater than the rule\u2019s actual impact in certain cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For that reason, experts emphasized the importance of assessing each situation individually before giving up a benefit. Wang recommended consulting immigration attorneys or authorized nonprofit organizations that provide immigration assistance, since eligibility and potential consequences can vary depending on who receives the benefit, which program they use and what stage of the immigration process they are in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Medicaid, CHIP and SNAP are already seeing declines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The concerns are emerging as healthcare and food assistance programs are already experiencing significant declines in participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alker said that, as of June 2026, Medicaid and the Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) had 2.3 million fewer children enrolled compared with January 2025. The specialist clarified that this decline cannot be directly attributed to the new public charge rule because it has not yet taken effect, but said that fear among mixed-status families is one factor that could be contributing to the drop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Medicaid and CHIP play a central role in children\u2019s healthcare coverage in the United States. According to Alker, between 40% and 50% of children in the country have received health insurance through these programs. When a family loses coverage, it can become more difficult to access medical checkups, preventive care and medications. In the case of common childhood conditions such as asthma, a lack of early care can eventually lead to emergency situations and higher costs for families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The impact also extends to food assistance. Dr. Giridhar Malia, a public health physician and Senior Policy Officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, explained that SNAP provides food assistance to approximately 37 million people in the United States, about four in ten of whom are children. U.S. citizens can qualify for the program, while permanent residents must meet certain conditions, including a five-year waiting period. Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for SNAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the first implementation of the public charge rule, more than 700,000 children from mixed-status families lost SNAP benefits over a two-year period, according to Malia. Overall, he estimated that the earlier version of the rule may have been associated with the loss of SNAP benefits for nearly two million people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SNAP participation is also declining. Malia said national data show a reduction of 4.5 million participants over the past nine months, including approximately 1.5 million children. He linked the decline to changes in program conditions, new administrative requirements and other modifications implemented by the administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For families, losing SNAP can have additional consequences. Participation in the program can allow children to automatically qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. When a family stops receiving SNAP, children may lose that automatic eligibility and have to provide additional documentation to demonstrate that they meet the requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Experts agree that the impact of the new rule will not be measured solely by the number of green card applications evaluated under the new standard. It will also be important to monitor how many families stop using programs they are entitled to because they fear immigration consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rule is scheduled to take effect on September 18, 2026. In the meantime, the organizations and experts who participated in the conference recommend that families avoid making decisions based solely on rumors or fear and instead consult immigration professionals or authorized organizations about their specific circumstances. The challenge will be distinguishing which benefits could have real consequences for a residency application and which benefits belong to family members who are not the applicants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trump ampl\u00eda regla de carga p\u00fablica para green cards<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>La medida genera temor entre familias inmigrantes por salud, alimentos y residencia.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">La administraci\u00f3n de Donald Trump ampliar\u00e1 nuevamente el alcance de la denominada regla de \u201ccarga p\u00fablica\u201d a partir del 18 de septiembre de 2026. La medida modifica la manera en que las autoridades migratorias evaluar\u00e1n determinadas solicitudes de residencia permanente, conocidas como green cards, y les permitir\u00e1 considerar un conjunto m\u00e1s amplio de circunstancias para determinar si una persona podr\u00eda depender de beneficios p\u00fablicos en el futuro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El cambio tambi\u00e9n est\u00e1 generando preocupaci\u00f3n entre familias de estatus migratorio mixto, donde uno o m\u00e1s integrantes pueden ser ciudadanos estadounidenses mientras otros atraviesan un proceso migratorio. Especialistas que participaron en una conferencia de prensa de American Community Media advirtieron que el efecto de la norma podr\u00eda extenderse m\u00e1s all\u00e1 de quienes solicitan una green card, debido al temor de las familias a utilizar programas de salud y alimentaci\u00f3n como Medicaid, CHIP y SNAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00bfQu\u00e9 cambia para quienes solicitan una green card?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">La regla de carga p\u00fablica forma parte de la legislaci\u00f3n migratoria estadounidense desde hace m\u00e1s de un siglo y busca determinar si una persona que solicita ingresar al pa\u00eds o convertirse en residente permanente podr\u00eda depender principalmente de la asistencia del Gobierno. Lo que ha cambiado a lo largo del tiempo es qu\u00e9 se considera para realizar esa evaluaci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Desde el 18 de septiembre, las autoridades retomar\u00e1n un enfoque m\u00e1s amplio que el criterio vigente desde 2022. Xiao Wang, CEO y cofundador de Boundless Immigration, explic\u00f3 durante la conferencia que anteriormente los funcionarios contaban con criterios m\u00e1s concretos para evaluar la situaci\u00f3n financiera de una persona. Con la nueva regla, podr\u00e1n revisar el conjunto de circunstancias del solicitante.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Entre los factores que podr\u00e1n considerar est\u00e1n su edad, estado de salud, situaci\u00f3n familiar, recursos econ\u00f3micos y activos, educaci\u00f3n, habilidades y otros elementos relacionados con su capacidad para mantenerse por s\u00ed mismo. Esto significa que la evaluaci\u00f3n ya no estar\u00e1 limitada a determinados criterios econ\u00f3micos o al uso de beneficios espec\u00edficos, sino que podr\u00e1 tomar en cuenta una visi\u00f3n m\u00e1s amplia de la situaci\u00f3n personal del solicitante.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">La medida puede afectar principalmente a personas que solicitan una green card dentro de Estados Unidos mediante un ajuste de estatus, as\u00ed como a quienes tramitan la residencia permanente desde el extranjero. Entre estos casos se encuentran solicitudes familiares presentadas por c\u00f3nyuges, padres e hijos de ciudadanos estadounidenses o residentes permanentes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sin embargo, existen categor\u00edas que est\u00e1n exentas por ley, entre ellas refugiados y asilados, determinados menores inmigrantes especiales, sobrevivientes de trata, algunas v\u00edctimas de delitos que solicitan visas T o U y personas protegidas bajo VAWA. La regla tampoco se aplica a quienes ya tienen una green card y solicitan la ciudadan\u00eda estadounidense mediante naturalizaci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Un punto relevante es la fecha de presentaci\u00f3n. Seg\u00fan lo explicado durante la conferencia, las solicitudes de green card presentadas antes del 18 de septiembre continuar\u00e1n siendo evaluadas bajo las reglas actuales, incluso si su resoluci\u00f3n ocurre posteriormente. Para quienes ya est\u00e1n preparados y cumplen los requisitos para presentar una solicitud, hacerlo antes de esa fecha mantiene el caso bajo el est\u00e1ndar m\u00e1s limitado vigente actualmente.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Familias mixtas enfrentan el temor de perder beneficios<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aunque la regla est\u00e1 dirigida a determinados procesos migratorios, los especialistas alertaron sobre un efecto que puede alcanzar a familias que ni siquiera est\u00e1n directamente sujetas a ella. Se trata del temor de utilizar programas p\u00fablicos por miedo a que hacerlo perjudique una futura solicitud migratoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Las familias de estatus migratorio mixto est\u00e1n especialmente expuestas a esta situaci\u00f3n. Joan Alker, directora ejecutiva del Center for Children and Families de Georgetown University, explic\u00f3 que uno de cada cuatro ni\u00f1os en Estados Unidos vive en una familia de este tipo. En estos hogares, los menores pueden ser ciudadanos estadounidenses mientras alguno de sus padres tiene un estatus migratorio diferente.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El temor puede llevar a que los padres dejen de inscribir a sus hijos en programas de salud o alimentaci\u00f3n, incluso cuando esos ni\u00f1os son ciudadanos y cumplen con los requisitos para recibirlos. Durante la primera implementaci\u00f3n de una versi\u00f3n m\u00e1s amplia de la regla, el Urban Institute encontr\u00f3 que uno de cada cinco adultos de familias inmigrantes con hijos hab\u00eda evitado utilizar un beneficio p\u00fablico para el que era elegible debido al temor de que afectara su situaci\u00f3n migratoria. Entre las familias de menores ingresos, la proporci\u00f3n lleg\u00f3 a tres de cada diez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Este efecto puede resultar especialmente relevante porque, seg\u00fan explic\u00f3 Wang, los beneficios recibidos por familiares, incluidos los hijos ciudadanos estadounidenses, generalmente no son considerados como beneficios recibidos por el solicitante de una green card. Es decir, el temor de las familias puede terminar siendo mayor que el efecto real de la norma en determinados casos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Por ello, los especialistas insistieron en la necesidad de analizar cada situaci\u00f3n de manera individual antes de renunciar a un beneficio. Wang recomend\u00f3 recurrir a abogados de inmigraci\u00f3n o a organizaciones sin fines de lucro autorizadas para brindar asistencia migratoria, debido a que la elegibilidad y las consecuencias pueden variar seg\u00fan qui\u00e9n recibe el beneficio, qu\u00e9 programa utiliza y en qu\u00e9 etapa se encuentra el proceso migratorio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Medicaid, CHIP y SNAP ya registran ca\u00eddas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El temor ocurre adem\u00e1s en un contexto en el que los programas de salud y alimentaci\u00f3n ya est\u00e1n registrando importantes descensos en su participaci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alker se\u00f1al\u00f3 que, hasta junio de 2026, Medicaid y el Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) hab\u00edan registrado 2,3 millones menos de ni\u00f1os inscritos en comparaci\u00f3n con enero de 2025. La especialista aclar\u00f3 que esta reducci\u00f3n no puede atribuirse directamente a la nueva regla de carga p\u00fablica, porque todav\u00eda no entra en vigor, pero se\u00f1al\u00f3 que el miedo entre familias de estatus migratorio mixto es uno de los factores que podr\u00eda estar contribuyendo a la ca\u00edda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Medicaid y CHIP cumplen un papel central en la cobertura m\u00e9dica infantil en Estados Unidos. De acuerdo con Alker, entre 40% y 50% de los ni\u00f1os del pa\u00eds han recibido su seguro m\u00e9dico a trav\u00e9s de estos programas. Cuando una familia deja de contar con cobertura, puede ser m\u00e1s dif\u00edcil acceder a controles m\u00e9dicos, atenci\u00f3n preventiva y medicamentos. En el caso de enfermedades frecuentes durante la infancia, como el asma, la falta de atenci\u00f3n temprana puede terminar llevando a situaciones de emergencia con mayores costos para las familias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El impacto tambi\u00e9n alcanza la alimentaci\u00f3n. El Dr. Giridhar Malia, m\u00e9dico de salud p\u00fablica y Senior Policy Officer de la Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, explic\u00f3 que SNAP brinda asistencia para la compra de alimentos a aproximadamente 37 millones de personas en Estados Unidos, de las cuales cerca de cuatro de cada diez son ni\u00f1os. Los ciudadanos estadounidenses pueden acceder al programa, mientras que los residentes permanentes deben cumplir determinadas condiciones, incluido un periodo de espera de cinco a\u00f1os. Las personas indocumentadas no son elegibles para SNAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Durante la primera aplicaci\u00f3n de la regla de carga p\u00fablica, m\u00e1s de 700.000 ni\u00f1os de familias de estatus migratorio mixto perdieron SNAP en un periodo de dos a\u00f1os, seg\u00fan Malia. En total, estim\u00f3 que aquella versi\u00f3n de la norma pudo estar relacionada con la p\u00e9rdida de SNAP para cerca de dos millones de personas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Actualmente, la participaci\u00f3n en SNAP tambi\u00e9n viene disminuyendo. Malia se\u00f1al\u00f3 que los datos nacionales muestran una reducci\u00f3n de 4,5 millones de participantes durante los \u00faltimos nueve meses, incluidos cerca de 1,5 millones de ni\u00f1os. El especialista relacion\u00f3 esta ca\u00edda con cambios en las condiciones del programa, nuevos requisitos administrativos y otras modificaciones implementadas por la administraci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Para las familias, perder SNAP puede generar efectos adicionales. La participaci\u00f3n en este programa puede permitir que los ni\u00f1os accedan autom\u00e1ticamente a comidas escolares gratuitas o de menor costo. Cuando una familia deja de recibir SNAP, los menores pueden perder esa elegibilidad autom\u00e1tica y tener que presentar documentaci\u00f3n adicional para demostrar que cumplen los requisitos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Los especialistas coinciden en que el impacto de la nueva regla no se medir\u00e1 \u00fanicamente por la cantidad de solicitudes de green card que sean evaluadas bajo el nuevo criterio. Tambi\u00e9n ser\u00e1 relevante observar cu\u00e1ntas familias dejan de utilizar programas a los que tienen derecho por temor a consecuencias migratorias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">La entrada en vigor est\u00e1 prevista para el 18 de septiembre de 2026. Mientras tanto, las organizaciones y especialistas que participaron en la conferencia recomiendan que las familias no tomen decisiones \u00fanicamente basadas en rumores o temor y que consulten su situaci\u00f3n espec\u00edfica con profesionales de inmigraci\u00f3n u organizaciones autorizadas. El desaf\u00edo ser\u00e1 distinguir qu\u00e9 beneficios pueden tener consecuencias reales para un proceso de residencia y cu\u00e1les corresponden a familiares que no son los solicitantes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The measure is raising concerns among immigrant families over healthcare, food assistance and permanent residency. The Donald Trump administration will once again expand the scope of the so-called \u201cpublic charge\u201d rule starting September 18, 2026. The measure changes how immigration authorities will evaluate certain applications for permanent residency, commonly known as green cards, allowing them [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2235,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[686,1],"tags":[4881,694,4882,1971],"class_list":["post-2234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-community-media","category-uncategorized","tag-chip","tag-green-card","tag-medicaid","tag-snap"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2234"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2234\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2236,"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2234\/revisions\/2236"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lavoz.us.com\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}