New York Magazine, January 31, 2017: White House Considers Deporting Legal Immigrants for Being Poor
“Under current law, legal immigrants have access to certain public benefits. But the federal government can deny an individual entry to the United States — or reject an immigrant’s request for permanent residence — if there is evidence that the individual is likely to become primarily dependent on government benefits for his or her subsistence.
When making that determination, the government can hold immigrants’ use of cash-based welfare programs (like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) against them, but not their use of in-kind benefits, like food stamps or Medicaid.”