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President Trump on Monday fired another shot in a protracted broadside on the nation's immigration system, issuing a new rule targeting legal immigrants. The move has expanded the definition of who is considered a "public charge," someone the government says could become dependent on its programs. Immigrants who use government services like food stamps, Medicaid, or housing vouchers would be considered a burden on taxpayers and ineligible for visas or permanent residency.

This comes in the wake of heightened tensions surrounding immigration following raids targeting hundreds of undocumented immigrants in the past fortnight and a racially-motivated mass shooting in El Paso, Texas. While the president has often railed against migrants arriving at the US-Mexico border, the new regulation reflects an increased focus on immigration in the lead up to the 2020 election.