Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) along with Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) are proposing legislation aimed at reinforcing “public charge” rules to restrict welfare-dependent legal immigrants from resettling in the U.S.
The proposed bill, called the Public Charge Clarity Act of 2025, has been shared exclusively with Breitbart News and seeks to restore the original public charge provisions established during the Trump administration. These provisions required legal immigrants to demonstrate self-sufficiency prior to obtaining a green card, as outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
In 2022, the Biden administration relaxed these regulations, eliminating the consideration of taxpayer-funded benefits when legal immigrants apply for resettlement in the U.S.
Nehls expressed to Breitbart News that this legislation is crucial to ensure that future administrations do not weaken public charge regulations, stripping them of enforcement measures.
“The Biden administration has not only rolled back President Trump’s effective border security measures that protect Americans from illegal immigration, but it has also altered policies that safeguard American public benefits, ultimately draining vital resources and fostering dependency among foreign nationals,” Nehls said.
“It’s quite straightforward: If foreign individuals are taking away critical resources that Americans depend on during tough times, that should not be allowed,” Nehls added. “I’m proud to support legislation that shields American taxpayers, discourages immigration driven by benefits, and reinstates the fundamental requirement for those aspiring to live in America to be self-sufficient.”
The legislation would mandate that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials factor in both past and future use of taxpayer-funded benefits by legal immigrants, and require these immigrants to have a financial sponsor capable of preventing them from needing public assistance moving forward.
“For too long, hardworking Americans have been overlooked while Washington maintains a flawed immigration system that encourages dependency,” Marshall noted to Breitbart News.
This bill follows President Trump’s recent release of welfare statistics for immigrant populations, revealing that many immigrants are receiving some form of welfare assistance.
Specifically, over 80% of migrants from Bhutan, 75% from Yemen, and approximately 72% from Somalia are reported to be on welfare.
“If we genuinely want to prioritize America, we should be welcoming immigrants who contribute to our society rather than leaning on taxpayers,” Marshall stated. “The Clarity of Public Prosecutions Act of 2025 accomplishes this by reversing Biden’s harmful policies and cementing the pragmatic standards proposed by the Department of Homeland Security in 2018, which benefit American families.”
The original co-sponsors of the bill include Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL), Rep. Glenn Grossman (R-WI), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Wes Hunt (R-TX), Rep. Ronnie Jackson (R-TX), Brandon Gill (R-TX), Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC), and Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX).
