The Trump administration's new Green Card rule that people who want to come to the United States legally must be able to support themselves is the same that was in effect for decades dating back at least to former President Bill Clinton's time in office, National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said Tuesday.
"It's going to send a clear message around the world that you have to be able to come to the United States and if you want to come here legally, you're going to have to support yourself,' Judd told Fox News' "America's Newsroom."
He added he finds it interesting "hard-left groups" are complaining about the rule and saying it should not be implemented.
"I'm sorry, but if you go back to the Clinton administration, when I was a very young Border Patrol agent, this is exactly the rule," Judd said. "You should not come to the United States as an immigrant and be a burden on the taxpayer."
He added the law was the same through the administrations of former President George W. Bush as well, but then "we relaxed all of the rules" under ex-President Barack Obama.
"That's one of the things that spurs illegal immigration, is when we don't enforce the current laws that are on the books," Judd said. "This is a very good thing for the American people and for the taxpayers."
When asked about how the rule will affect low-income immigrants Judd said there has "always been a standard that you have to meet in order to come to the United States legally. If there wasn't a standard then everybody would be coming from all over the world."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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