Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY <CFR>8 CFR Parts 103 and 212</CFR> <DEPDOC>[CIS No. 2836-25; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2025-0304]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 1615-AD06</RIN> <SUBJECT>Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Notice of proposed rulemaking. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> DHS proposes to rescind the 2022 public charge ground of inadmissibility regulations. The 2022 regulations are not the best implementation of the statute, inconsistent with congressional intent, unduly restrictive, and hamper DHS's ability to make accurate, precise, and reliable determinations of whether certain aliens are likely at any time to become a public charge. Rescission would restore broader discretion to evaluate all pertinent facts and align with long-standing policy that aliens in the United States should be self-reliant and government benefits should not incentivize immigration. DHS also proposes to address the breach and cancellation of public charge bonds. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> <E T="03">NPRM comment period:</E> Written comments on the NPRM must be submitted on or before December 19, 2025. The electronic Federal Docket Management System will accept comments prior to midnight eastern time at the end of that day. <E T="03">Information collection comment period:</E> Comments on the information collection described in the Paperwork Reduction Act section below must be received by January 20, 2026. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> <E T="03">Comments on the NPRM:</E> You may submit comments on this NPRM, identified by DHS Docket No. USCIS-2025-0304, through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: <E T="03">http://www.regulations.gov.</E> In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(4), the summary of this rule found above may also be found at <E T="03">http://www.regulations.gov.</E> Follow the website instructions for submitting comments. <E T="03">Comments on the Information Collection:</E> Submit comments on the information collections to the same docket as the NPRM. In addition, all comments on the information collections must include the following OMB Control Numbers: Form I-485 (1615-0023), Form I-945 (1615-0143), and Form I-356 (1615-0141). Comments must be submitted in English, or an English translation must be provided. Comments submitted in a manner other than via <E T="03">http://www.regulations.gov,</E> including emails or letters sent to DHS or USCIS officials, will not be considered comments on the NPRM and may not receive a response from DHS. Please note that DHS and USCIS cannot accept any comments that are hand-delivered or couriered. In addition, USCIS cannot accept comments contained on any form of digital media storage devices, such as CDs/DVDs and USB drives. USCIS is also not accepting mailed comments at this time. If you cannot submit your comment by using <E T="03">http://www.regulations.gov,</E> please contact Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, by telephone at (240) 721-3000 for alternate instructions. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), DHS, 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746; telephone (240) 721-3000 (not a toll-free call). </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Public Participation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Purpose of the Regulatory Action</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Summary of Legal Authority</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Summary of the Major Provisions of the Regulatory Action</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Legal Authority</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Grounds of Inadmissibility Generally</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Public Charge Statutes and Case Law, Pre-IIRIRA</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Public Benefits Under PRWORA</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Changes Under IIRIRA</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. INS 1999 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Interim Field Guidance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">6. DHS 2018 Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and 2019 Final Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">7. DHS 2022 Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and Final Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Basis and Purpose of the NPRM</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. The Prior Rules Were Overly Restrictive</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Removal of the Existing Public Charge Inadmissibility Framework</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Discussion of the NPRM</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Introduction</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Discussion of the Amendments and Removals in the NPRM</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Cancellation and Breach of Public Charge Bonds—8 CFR 103.6(c)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Proposed Removal of Definitions and Regulatory Framework for Making Public Charge Inadmissibility Determinations—8 CFR 212.21</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Removal of Regulations Outlining the Public Charge Inadmissibility Determination—8 CFR 212.22</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Exemptions and Waivers for Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility—8 CFR 212.23</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Applicability of Public Charge Inadmissibility—8 CFR 212.20</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VI. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) and Executive Order 13563 (Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review), and 14192 (Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Background and Purpose</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Population</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Cost-Benefit Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Regulatory Flexibility Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Executive Order 12988 (Civil Justice Reform)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Family Assessment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Executive Order 13175 (Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. National Environmental Policy Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Abbreviations</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ANPRM—Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">APA—Administrative Procedure Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ASC—Application Support Center</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">BIA—Board of Immigration Appeals</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CBP—U.S. Customs and Border Protection</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CFR—Code of Federal Regulations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CHIP—Children's Health Insurance Program</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">COVID-19—Coronavirus Disease 2019</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CPI-U—Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DHS—U.S. Department of Homeland Security</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DOJ—Department of Justice</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DOS—U.S. Department of State</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">E.O.—Executive Order</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FAM—Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FFP—Federal Financial Participation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FMAP—Federal Medical Assistance Percentages</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FR—Federal Register</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FY—Fiscal Year</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HCV—Housing Choice Voucher</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HHS—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HSA—Homeland Security Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HUD—U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IIRIRA—Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">INA—Immigration and Nationality Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">INS—Immigration and Naturalization Service</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IRCA—Immigration Reform and Control Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">LPR—Lawful Permanent Resident</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NEPA—National Environmental Policy Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NPRM—Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">OMB—Office of Management and Budget</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1"> PRA—Paperwork Reduction Act </FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PRWORA—Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RFA—Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RIA—Regulatory Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">SNAP—Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">SSA—Social Security Administration</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">SSI—Supplemental Security Income</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TANF—Temporary Assistance for Needy Families</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TPS—Temporary Protected Status</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">UMRA—Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">USCIS—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">USDA—U.S. Department of Agriculture</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Public Participation</HD> DHS invites all interested parties to participate in this rulemaking by submitting written data, views, comments and arguments on all aspects of this proposed rule. DHS also invites comments that relate to the economic, environmental, or federalism effects that might result from this proposed rule. Comments must be submitted in English, or an English translation must be provided. Comments that will provide the most assistance t ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 306k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━