ANG mga panuntunan na nagbago ng mga regulasyon tungkol sa public charge ground ng inadmissibility ay magiging epektibo sa Oktubre 15, 2019. Ipapatupad ng Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at USCIS ang mga bagong panuntunan sa mga petisyon at aplikasyon na nakapost-mark mula Oktubre 15, 2019. Noong Oktubre 9, 2019, ang USCIS ay nag-publish na rin ng mga bagong edisyon ng Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Form I-129 Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-539/539A Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, Form I-864/I-864EZ Affidavit of Support under Section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) at Form I-944 Declaration of Self-Sufficiency. Ang mga edition date ng Forms na ito ay 10/15/2019. Tatanggapin lamang ng USCIS ang dating edisyon ng mga Forms na ito kung may postmark ng 10/14/2019 o mas maaga sa petsang ito.
Sa ilalim ng Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), ang isang dayuhan ay maaaring maging inadmissibile kung mayroong posibilidad na siya ay magiging public charge sa hinaharap na panahon. Sa bagong panuntunan, sa interpretasyon ng “public charge” ay kasama na ang mga non-cash benefits tulad ng food stamps, Medicaid, at mga housing voucher o mga housing subsidy. Ito ay upang matiyak na ang mga dayuhang napapailalim sa public charge inadmissibility ground ay may sariling kakayahan at hindi umaasa sa public resources para sa kanilang mga pangangailangan, kundi sa sariling kakayahan at sa mga mapagkukunan ng kanilang mga pamilya, sponsor at mga pribadong organisasyon. Ayon sa bagong panuntunan, ang “public charge” ay isang dayuhan na nakatanggap ng mga public benefit ng mahigit ng 12 buwan sa loob ng 36 buwan sa pangkalahatan. Kaya’t ang pagtanggap ng dalawang benefit sa isang buwan ay bibilangin bilang dalawang buwan. Kasama na sa “public benefit” ang mga cash benefits para sa income maintenance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) o mga food stamp, mga Medicaid, Section 8 Housing Assistance sa ilalim ng Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, at iba pang subsidized housing.
Ang pagpapatupad ng public charge inadmissibility law ay magsusulong ng mga mithiin ng sariling kakayahan, pagsandig sa sarili, pagiging masipag at matiyaga, na silang mga naging pundasyon ng US. Ang bagong panuntunan ay hindi nag-aapply sa mga US citizen (USC) kahit ang USC ay kamag-anak ng dayuhan na sumasailalim sa public charge ground ng inadmissibility. Ang mga isaaalang-alang ng DHS ay mga public benefits na direktang natanggap ng dayuhan para sa kanyang kapakanan, o kung saan naka-lista ang dayuhan bilang beneficiary ng public benefit. Ang public benefit na natanggap ng dayuhan para sa iba ay hindi rin kasama, kahit ang public benefits ay natanggap ng mga miyembro ng pamilya ng dayuhan.
The rules amending the regulations related to the public charge ground of inadmissibility will take effect on October 15, 2019. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and USCIS will apply these rules to applications postmarked on or after this effective date. On October 9, 2019, USCIS also published new editions of Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, I-129 Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, I-539/539A Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Sttaus, I-864/I-864EZ Affidavit of Support under Section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and I-944 Declaration of Self-Sufficiency. The edition dates of these Forms are 10/15/2019. USCIS will only accept previous editions of the Forms if they are postmarked on or before 10/14/2019.
Under the rules, DHS will determine whether an alien who is applying for admission or adjustment of status is inadmissible to the US under the INA based on his likelihood of becoming a public charge at any time in the future. The interpretation of “public charge” will incorporate consideration of non-cash benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid, and housing vouchers or other housing subsidies to better ensure that aliens subject to the public charge inadmissibility ground are self-sufficient and do not depend on public resources to meet their needs. Rather, they rely on their own capabilities, as well as the resources of family members, sponsors and private organizations. The rules redefine “public charge” as an alien who receives one or more designated public benefits for more than 12 months, in the aggregate, within any 36-month period (such that, for instance, receipt of 2 benefits in 1 month counts as 2 months). The rules further define the term “public benefit” to include any cash benefits for income maintenance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) or food stamps, most forms of Medicaid, Section 8 Housing Assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, and certain other forms of subsidized housing.
According to the USCIS, the enforcement of the public charge inadmissibility law will promote the ideals of self-sufficiency, self-reliance, industriousness and perseverance, which have laid the foundation of the nation and have defined generations of hardworking immigrants seeking opportunity in the US ever since. The rules do not apply to US citizens (USC), even if the USC is related to an alien subject to the public charge ground of inadmissibility. DHS will also consider only public benefits received directly by the alien for the alien’s own benefit, or where the alien is listed as the beneficiary of the public benefit. Benefits received on behalf of another will not be considered. Neither will receipt of public benefits by one or more members of the alien’s household be attributed to the alien, unless the alien is also listed as a beneficiary of the public benefit.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
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