The Trump administration is poised to unveil a proposal that would make it harder for legal immigrants to become citizens if they ever used public welfare programs, a move that would impact more than 20 million migrants, NBC News is reporting.
Immigrants living legally in the U.S. would be penalized if they ever used Obamacare, food stamps or children's health insurance (CHIP), among others, NBC reports.
The proposal is the brainchild of White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump's top aide on immigration issues. This proposal is part of a broader effort by Miller to limit the number of migrants who gain citizenship each year, NBC reports.
The proposal has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget for vetting, the penultimate step before getting published in the federal register, NBC News reports. Implementation would not require congressional approval.
"Any policy forcing millions of families to choose between the denial of status and food or health care would exacerbate serious problems such as hunger, unmet health needs, child poverty, and homelessness, with lasting consequences for families' wellbeing and long-term success and community prosperity," the National Immigration Law Center told NBC in a statement.
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