The party of family values strikes again.
The trump administration has proposed a new immigration rule that will shock exactly no one in its cruelty and priorities. Because helping people is not the American way, President Bankruptcy wants to deny green cards to immigrants who take food stamps, Medicaid, parts of Medicare, and vouchers for Section 8 housing.
Making America Great Again apparently takes us back to the 1800s, when the policy upon which this rule is based was created to keep immigrants from being a "drain on the economy." Welcoming people from other nations is soooo 18th century. According to Immigration Barbie, aka Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, this new rule would "promote self-sufficiency, protect finite resources, and [ensure immigrants] don't become burdens." Isn't that sweet?
Hey, it could be worse. A previous version of the rule would have denied green cards and citizenship to immigrants who had participated in Obamacare and used certain tax credits available to them - legally, mind you...but still. Can't have people taking advantage of help that is actually available to them. Like, say, rich people who take advantage of tax loopholes, or declare bankruptcy to avoid paying debt they owe or anything but perhaps I digress oh my god my head is going to explode someone help me
Also, Immigrants who received more than $1,821/year in benefits that could be monetized? NO VISAS OR GREEN CARDS FOR YOU. Because, clearly the country whose economy could NEVER BE BETTER cannot afford them, and money is waaaay more important than family and morality and kindness, right, Marielena Hincapie?
“How you contribute to your community — and not what you look like or the contents of your wallet — should be what matters most,” said Marielena Hincapie of the National Immigration Law Center. “This proposed rule does the opposite, and makes clear that the Trump administration continues to prioritize money over family unity by ensuring that only the wealthiest can afford to build a future in this country.”
Oooooooh. My bad.