DHS Rescinds 2022 Rule, Restores Officer Discretion On Green Cards
The rule lets officers again weigh past use of Medicaid, CHIP and SNAP when judging an applicant's self-sufficiency, effective September 18, 2026.
- September 18, 2026: effective date, sixty days after the July 20 Federal Register publication.
- Rescinds the 2022 rule that had excluded most public benefits from consideration.
- $13.05 billion a year: DHS's own estimate of savings for federal, state and local governments.
Why it matters: One officer's judgment now decides who becomes a resident and who becomes a bill.
DHS/USCIS Federal Register final rule 2026-14539, Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility ↗ · Jul 21, 20267/21/26