Acting Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Delivers Press Briefing

Global News: Trump administration has ruled that the U.S. could deny green cards to immigrants who use Medicaid, food stamps, housing vouchers or other forms of public assistance, a rule now going into effect. This is one of the country's most aggressive moves to restrict legal immigration. 

Acting director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli made the announcement at the White House on Aug. 12. He said the country is looking for legal immigrants who are self-supporting, but this rule does not apply to asylum seekers. 

Also, congress has now officially defined the term "public charge," he said.

The briefing begins at the 7:45 mark. 

Update - 12:57 PM (EST)

Statement from New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado 

“Trump’s new ‘public charge’ rule to withhold legal permanent resident status to those who may have received health, nutrition, housing and Medicaid assistance in the past is a cruel measure that targets our most vulnerable populations. This draconian rule is anti-American and anti-New York.

“We believe in helping our neighbors find opportunities to succeed and provide for their families. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to throw everything it can in the way to stop new Americans from joining our country, whether it be separating and incarcerating families at the border, restricting asylum for those fleeing violence and weaponizing ICE to detain residents.

“We will fight this ongoing assault on our immigrant communities and we will do everything in our power to stop this rule in its tracks, just as we did with Trump’s illegal ‘citizenship question’ on the census.”

Source: Department of State