New Green Card rules: Indians set to be hit

Washington, Feb 24: The US on Monday will begin enforcing a regulation that could deny green card or legal permanent residency to legal immigrants who seek public benefits like food stamps.

The move might affect a number of Indians who are on H-1B visas and are in long queues to get permanent legal residency. The decision follows the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday which lifted the final remaining injunction on the 'public charge' regulation.

"As a result, the Department of Homeland Security will be able to implement its regulation on Monday," said White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham.

"This final rule will protect hardworking American taxpayers, safeguard welfare programmes for truly needy Americans, reduce the Federal deficit and re-establish the fundamental legal principle that newcomers to our society should be financially self-reliant and not dependent on the largesse of taxpayers," Grisham said. The final rule was scheduled to come into effect on October 15, 2019, but could not be implemented due to various court rulings.