A new program being tested by the administration of President Donald Trump is to determine whether a requirement for some immigrants to post bonds before they are granted a visa to enter the U.S. cuts down on their dependence on public assistance programs.
A report at the Free Beacon explains the White House has plans to require some prospective immigrants to post a bond of up to $250,000 to get their visa.
It’s described as “part of a new pilot program aimed at ensuring those who seek a new home in America have the financial means to support themselves without taxpayer handouts.”
The report explained the program by the Department of Homeland Security initially will apply to certain immigrants from the Dominican Republic.
State Department officials told the publication it is starting with those “who have been found ineligible on public charge grounds.”
“The ‘public charge’ designation applies to those immigrants who were initially denied a visa over concerns they cannot financially support themselves and would rely on taxpayer-funded benefits,” the report said.
The practice is to be done on a case-by-case basis and bond requirements can vary, the report said, but likely will be in the $100,000-$250,000 range.
A statement from State Department obtained by the publication said, “As part of this comprehensive initiative, the Department is implementing a long-standing legal authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to require certain visa applicants—those who are otherwise ineligible for a visa because they are likely to become a public charge—to post a bond as a way to tangibly demonstrate they have access to the funds needed to support themselves.”
The plan is part of work by the president’s administration and others to cut back on taxpayer funds being distributed to immigrants who come to the U.S. with no financial resources.
“Immigrating to the United States is a privilege, not a right. Those who seek to obtain that privilege must be capable of demonstrating that they will be a benefit—rather than a burden—to our nation,” the State Department official said. “The Trump Administration is restoring the basic expectation that those who immigrate to the United States should contribute to our society more than they take from it.”
A Cato Institute study revealed immigrants consumed more than $401 billion in welfare and entitlement benefits in 2023.
The bond program is being characterized as a second chance plan for those who already were rejected because of their financial status.
