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>> Martha: BIG STORY TONIGHT,
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS MOVING
TOWARDS A MORE MERIT-BASED
IMMIGRATION SYSTEM.
IF THAT HAS BEEN A GOAL OF
THEIRS FROM THE BEGINNING,
ACQUIRING IMMIGRANTS
IN
THE MUCK APPLYING IMMIGRANTS,
THAT HAS BEEN IN A LONG TIME
BEFORE THEY HAVE ISSUED A
GREEN CARD.
NEWLY EXPANDED RULE ALLOWS THE
GOVERNMENT TO DISQUALIFY SOME
APPLICANTS BASED ON THEIR
RELIANCE PROGRAMS LIKE MEDICAID,
SOME KINDS OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE
OR EVEN FOOD STAMPS.
>> WE CERTAINLY EXPECT ANYBODY
FROM ANY INCOMES TO BE ABLE TO
STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET, IF
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO BE
SELF-SUFFICIENT, THAN THIS
NEGATIVE FACTOR IS GOING TO BEAR
VERY HEAVILY AGAINST THEM.
IT'S A DECISION WHETHER THEY'LL
BECOME A PERMANENT LEGAL
RESIDENCE.
>> Martha: HE THINKS
DIFFERENTLY.
>> IS A VERY INTENTIONAL EFFORT
BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO
CONTINUE TO TARGET IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES.
WITH CRUELTY AND FEAR.
>> Martha: NEW YORK
ATTORNEY GENERAL PLANS TO SUE
THE ADMINISTRATION TO STOP THIS.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ALSO
CONSIDERING ACTION.
ADAM COHOST OF THE FIVE, AND
FOX NEWS POLITICAL ANALYST, CARL
CAN YOU JUSTIFY THIS?
IS THIS JUSTIFIABLE?
>> SINCE 1995 THIS RULE IS IN
PLACE, IT APPLIES UNDER U.S.
LAW, PROVIDED FOR THE MOVE,
WELFARE BENEFITS TO A LARGE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
THE TRADITIONAL WELFARE CHECK,
CAN YOU GET SUPPLEMENTARY
SECURITY, SSI, THERE ARE WHOLE
BUNCH OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE
ALREADY OFF-LIMITS TO IMMIGRANTS
AND VISA HOLDERS.
THIS ANSWER TO PROGRAMS.
FOOD STAMPS AND MEDICAID.
THIS IS NOT THE DETERMINANTS,
THIS IS NOT DISPOSITIVE, YOU
HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT IN THE LAST
36 MONTHS AND WHAT FACTORS ARE
IN THERE TO THINK THEIR HABITS
IN THE LAST 36 MONTHS ARE ABLE
TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF
THEMSELVES, BUT THEY HAVE TO
RELY UPON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
IN 12 MONTHS, I'D SO MUCH HAVE
THEY BEEN TO DEPENDENT UPON FOOD
STAMPS AND MEDICAID?
>> Martha: IF YOU'RE GOING TO
BECOME A CITIZEN, YOU HAVE TO
BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT.
IF AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF OUR
PIPE IS SPENT ON ENTITLEMENTS IN
THE COUNTRY, SO, WHY SHOULD WE
TAKE IN MORE PEOPLE TO ADD TO TA
TAKE IN MORE PEOPLE TO ADD TO TT
BURDEN IT'S BEEN IN THE
BOOKS SINCE 1999.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE
ARGUMENT, THIS IS ABOUT
PUNISHING IMMIGRANTS.
I THINK IT'S POLITICAL, I THINK
IT'S POLITICAL, I THINK OF
SENDING A MESSAGE THAT HE'S
ANTI-IMMIGRANT.
HE DIDN'T GET THE WALL, I DID HE
TRY TO GET MERIT-BASED ADMISSION
TO THE COUNTRY, INTO THE BOOKS,
DIDN'T DO SO, SO I THINK THIS IS
A WAY TO CIRCUMVENT THAT.
I CAN, WE KNOW THAT THE
PRESIDENT WANTED TO CUT
CERTAINLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION,
THE DIFFERENT THING HERE, THEY
COME TO THE U.S. ELITE LEGALLY
PAID HE'S POTENTIALLY INTERESTED
IN HALTING PEOPLE WHO COME FROM
LOW INCOME COUNTRIES, MOSTLY
PEOPLE COMING FROM
LATIN AMERICA, AFRICA, THE
CARIBBEAN, AND THE LIKE AND I
THINK THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT W
THINK THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT E
RELY OFTENTIMES ON THE DIFFERENT
WAYS IN OUR LIFE ON PUBLIC AID.
THAT IS A DISQUALIFICATION THAT
YOU CAN'T HAVE THE AMERICAN
DREAM IF AT ANY POINT SOMEONE IN
YOUR FAMILY OR YOU HAD A MEDICAL
ISSUE.
OF >> Martha: PEOPLE WHO WANT
TO BECOME CITIZENS, THEY'RE
BEING MEASURED FOR ABOUT HOW
IT'S GOING SO FAR AND ARE THEY -
HAVE THEY GOTTEN ON THEIR
TWO FEET, HERE'S KAMALA HARRIS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY HOT
TOPIC FOR 2020.
>> THE INVESTORS AND HAS
DIRECTED DHS TO CONDUCT THESE
RAIDS, PART OF WHAT I BELIEVE
THIS ADMINISTRATION'S CAMPAIGN
OF TERROR.
WHICH IS TO MAKE WHOLE
POPULATIONS OF PEOPLE AFRAID TO
GO TO WORK, CHILDREN ARE AFRAID
TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR FEAR WHEN
THEY COME HOME THEIR PARENTS
WON'T BE THERE.
>> Martha: CARL.
>> THIS IS OVER THE TOP, LET'S
BE HONEST, IF NOBODY WAS
SCREAMING ABOUT THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION SAYING IMMIGRANTS
COULDN'T GET ANY BASIC WELFARE
PROGRAM, LARGEST EXPENDITURE WE
MAKE AND WEALTH ARE, THEY
COULDN'T GET IT FOR THE SAME
PROCESS.
THAT COULD BE UPSET BY POSITIVE
FACTORS, THIS IS A CHANGE, BUT
IT'S NOT A HUGE CHANGE AND IT
CERTAINLY NOT PUNISHABLE,
EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF ITEMS
THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION.