Will receiving public benefits keep me from getting my green card?

How will USCIS’s new public charge rules affect my immigration case?

Our law firm had numerous inquiries regarding how receipt of public benefits can affect whether a non-citizen will be able to obtain U.S. permanent residency. Gossip and misinformation have led many immigrant families to needlessly give up on critical public health, nutritional, educational and housing assistance. The focus on public benefits has also distracted from other key factors that might bring about an adverse public charge finding, such as English language skills, periods of unemployment, and educational attainment.

USCIS recently published a summary explainer in both English and Spanish that sets out how the new public charge guidelines will work, which immigrants will be affected, what types of benefits can trigger public charge problems, and the range of other factors USCIS will consider would place a non-citizen at risk of becoming a public charge. Our law firm providing a summary of USCIS’s public charge guidelines to help non-citizens make decisions on whether and how to access public assistance.