I’m an immigrant, do I qualify for government assistance?

You may qualify for government benefits, whether it’s low-cost insurance, food stamps, rent-control housing, etc. (check if you qualify here), but what you should be asking yourself is whether you need government assistance.

You might be inadmissible…

Every immigrant application asks if you will become a public charge, which means a public burden (someone who relies on public assistance/benefits).  If you select “yes”, you may become inadmissible. This is also why you need a sponsor to adjust status (I-485).

But I already have a green card…

If you have already received your green card, it’s important to note that under the Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 237(a)(5) it states:

 “Any alien who, within five years after the date of entry; has become a public charge from causes not affirmatively shown to have arisen since entry is deportable.”

This means that even if you have a Permanent Resident Card (green card), you cannot relax and assume that you have the same rights as US citizens.