BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Thousands of immigrants in Kern County could be prevented from obtaining a green card under a new rule from the Trump administration that expands the definition of "public charge."
The rule could affect immigrants applying for a green card if they are deemed likely to rely on government assistance.
Immigration officials would also be able to review an applicant's past extensively, including any eligibility for government assistance that spans into their prior history.
Win Eaton, a local immigration attorney, explained what the standard means.
"Public charge is an immigration screening standard concerning whether an applicant is likely to depend on government assistance sometime in the future," Eaton said.
Eaton said the rule could specifically impact immigrants already enrolled in programs like Medicare. In Kern County, nearly half the population relies on Medicare coverage.
Eaton also said the issue extends beyond California and touches on the broader role immigrants play in the country.
"We need immigrants to run this country. That's the broader issue here," Eaton said.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been working to roll back what he described as the Trump administration's anti-immigration policies.
At a recent press conference, Bonta addressed the new public charge rule.
"The administration wants to punish immigrant for using benefits that their children are legally entitled to," Bonta said.
For Bonta, the stakes go beyond healthcare access.
"No family should have to choose between accessing healthcare, getting help feeding their family, having a safe and stable home or protecting their pathway to legal citizenship status," Bonta said.
Unless courts issue a decision blocking the rule, it is set to take effect on Friday, Sept. 18.
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