Public Charge and Immigration Law
While public charge has been a part of our immigration laws for more than a hundred years, changes including actions taken by the Trump and Biden administrations brought renewed attention to public charge law. The Trump-era changes to public charge...
Public Charge for Legal Practitioners in 2023
Date and Time: 02/02/2023 11:00am to 12:30pm PST Recorded Date: 02/02/2023 Place: Online Registration Deadline: Thursday, February 2, 2023 - 11:00am Presenter: Erin Quinn Ariel Brown MCLE: 1.5 CA & TX
Public Charge
“Public charge” is a ground of inadmissibility. Grounds of inadmissibility are reasons that a person could be denied a green card, visa, or admission into the United States. In deciding whether to grant some applicants a green card or a visa, an immigration officer must decide whether that person is likely to become dependent on certain government benefits in the future, which would make them a “public charge.” It is not a test that applies to everyone, not even to all those applying for green cards.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) provides trainings and technical assistance on public charge, produces numerous practice advisories, toolkits, and other resources, and authors a comprehensive manual, Public Charge and Immigration Law.