New US Rule to limit Legal Immigration

In its ongoing movement to reduce the number of immigrants coming to the United States, the Trump Administration has released a regulation which, if approved will reduce the number of legal immigrants in the US.

What has happened?

• One of the key promises of US President Donald Trump in his presidential campaign was to limit the number of immigrants coming to the United States.
• While a set of resolutions have already been passed and brought into action by the US Law enforcement agencies, these rules till date has tackled the illegal immigrants (people who have entered the US without any formal paperwork).??
• However, the new rule is unique because it targets legal immigrants to the US.
• The legal immigrants, in this case, include the people entering the US via the green card and through visa applications.

What has changed?

• The new rule being proposed aims to target the incoming green card and visa applicants (primarily from India and China).
• These applicants could be turned down by the US Visa office if they are found to have low incomes or little education which would hinder them in getting a job or sustaining themselves in the United States.
• Since these incomers will not have adequate money to sustain themselves, they will use benefits like Medicaid, food stamps, and will need housing vouchers.

This will create a drag on the US Economy and this rationale has been given by the planners for doing this.