由於擔心享有聯邦補助，川普政府可能拒絕給予綠卡，因此有愈來愈多合法移民，放棄為稚齡子女購買嬰兒奶粉和健康食物的政府補助。

華府政治新聞網站Politico在3日報導，白宮官員正研擬的一項有關「公眾負擔」(public charge)的移民方案，主要影響已經在美、正申請綠卡的合法移民，以及正申請合法入境美國者，白宮希望在期中選舉前提出此案，以提振共和黨選民的熱情。然而此方案也會影響到希望未來申請永久居留的無證移民，因為此政策改變，將擴大「公眾負擔」的定義。

地方衛生機構表示，在新聞披露白宮可能打算拒絕給予享用政府福利的移民合法身分後，已接獲許多合法和無證移民驚惶失措的電話，要求放棄加入「婦女及嬰幼兒營養計畫」(WIC)。至少18州的相關機構發現，登記參加該計畫的人數驟減20%，他們研判此改變主要源於對移民政策更張的恐懼。

這些機構指出，川普政府尚未正式實施上述政策，卻已嚇得移民家庭不敢再使用這些服務。

 Global Leaders in Math Education

---

維權人士說，此政策改變可能使得更多美國出生的新生兒，出現體重過輕和其他健康問題，除了不利於公共衛生，而且可能使醫療支出增加，浪費納稅人的錢。WIC造福約半數美國出生嬰兒，提供懷孕婦女和家有幼兒的家庭折價券(又稱奶票)或福利卡，讓他們得以購買食物和嬰兒奶粉。

由於WIC的受益者是嬰兒，他們絕大多數為在美出生的公民，是政治爭議性最少的社會福利，也被認為是川普政府最不可能刪砍的計畫。

全國WIC協會總監葛勒威說：「最令WIC相關機構憂心的是，該計畫原本為的是嬰幼兒的健康成長，卻因法規變更、政治氛圍影響，令符合享用該計畫的民眾卻步，勢將對這些嬰兒及其家庭造成嚴重後果。」

依照實施超過一個世紀的聯邦移民法，若潛在移民或外籍訪客可能成為政府重大負擔，官員可拒絕其入境美國。不過至目前為止，相關官員通常把焦點放在需要現金救濟或長期醫護照顧的人。但川普政府的移民政策鷹派鼓吹將對象擴大及於有意使身分合法化的移民，及其享有的更廣泛範圍的政府福利，其中包括糧食券、啟蒙教育(Head Start）、醫療補助計畫(Medicaid)和WIC等補助。

無證移民不符合多數政府補助的資格，但上述構成公眾負擔的對象擴大，適用範圍可能及於移民家庭所有成員。例如過去一名母親申請綠卡時，她本人享用政府福利可能受到調查，而根據新提案，她的子女若享有醫療補助計畫或啟蒙教育補助，也將成為她接受綠卡審查的負面因素，即使她的子女為美國公民。

川普政府官員辯稱，他們只是為了釐清和執行現有的移民法律。聯邦移民及公民服務局((USCIS)局長西斯納本月初表示：「此目標不是為了減少移民，或殘酷無情地拒之於門外，或杜絕依親移民。」他說，政府正研擬的法規「合情合理」，並將經過完整「適當」的法規制定程序。

即使川普政府還在研擬移民法規的變更，已有官員開始採行新限制。今年1月，國務院指示各使館和領事館，在核發簽證時，須檢視申請人是否可能享用美國政府的營養和醫療補助。移民律師目前正密切注意，國務院的新指導方針是否致使更多因公眾負擔因素簽證遭拒的案例。

Texas is among the states that would be most affected by the policy, which would encourage immigration officials to factor in a new income threshold when they’re deciding to deny or grant green cards and visas

A new report shows immigrants from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean would be most affected by rules being considered by the Trump administration to restrict family-based immigration. 

According to leaked drafts of the policy, the administration is looking to set income limits, so green cards would be harder to obtain for less-affluent legal immigrants, usually coming to the country through a family connection.

mmigrants earning less than 250 percent above the federal poverty line ($62,000/year for a family of four) would have their income count against them when immigration officials are deciding whether or not to grant them a visa. 

New data from the Washiogton D.C.-based Migration Policy Institute (MPI) show the people most likely to meet income requirements come from Europe, Canada and Oceania (Australia), while immigrants from Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean are most likely not to meet the income threshold. 

“It might change the face of future immigrants coming to the state (Texas),” said Jeanne Batalova, an MPI senior analyst, “but also, it raises the question, what will happen to people who could be eligible, but cannot clear those new standards.”

Because the considered rules could have large impacts on the race and ethnicities of future legal immigrants, some experts say it’s a way of bringing back the Immigration Act of 1924, which set quotas on how many people could immigrate from each country to maintain the racial and ethnic makeup of the United States at the time. 

Number and Share of Recently Arrived, Legally Present Noncitizens in Families with Annual Incomes below 250 Percent of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL) by Region of Birth, United States and Texas, 2014-16

Recently Arrived, Legally Present Noncitizens: Total and in Families with Annual Incomes below 250 Percent of the Federal Poverty Line, United States and Texas, 2014-16

The policy stands to have a greater impact on Texas because of the size and countries of origin of the immigrant community in the state. 

“Proportionately speaking, Texas is likely to be affected more than other states in the United States,” said Batalova.

The policy would also greatly expand (from 3 percent to 47 percent) the share of legal immigrants that would be deemed a “public charge” based on their use, or their dependent’s use, of public benefits.

A public charge determination weighs heavily against a legally present non citizen when an immigration official is deciding to grant or deny them a green card or visa. The new public charge rules would apply to nearly half of all lawfully present immigrants, including some 1.3 million Texans.

Proposed public charge rules would also have major chilling effects on immigrant use of benefits like Medicaid and food stamps. 

“It potentially creates an enormous chilling effect,” said Mark Greenberg, senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute, “which could leave families with children fearful that receipt of publicly funded health care assistance is going to hurt their ability to get green cards or to get another family member admitted to the country.”