This is the Cato Daily Podcast for Wednesday, August 14th, 2019.

I'm Caleb Brown.

For those who insist illegal immigrants should simply get in line and do things legally, know this.

The Trump administration has just made legal immigration more difficult, and it's done so

on a number of occasions.

Caters David Beer comments on the most recent example,

perhaps the largest change this White House is imposed

on immigration to date.

To what extent are immigrants who come to the United States legally able to take advantage of the vast

array of programs that are typically made use of by Americans.

When we're talking about welfare programs,

legal immigrants in the United States face a bar to using any welfare benefits whatsoever at the federal level for five years

after they receive their green card or permanent residence.

Immigrants who are do not they receive their green card or permanent residence.

Immigrants who do not have permanent residence in the United States are ineligible

for all federal means tested public benefits.

Okay, so the Trump administration has announced that they'll penalize immigrants who make use

of not necessarily rely, although that is sort of seems to be how it's being

presented food stamps housing credits or vouchers or that sort of benefits.

So how big of a deal is this programmatic change

if a lot of these people that you're talking about who come here legally are not making use of these programs as it is.

Well, it's a huge, huge change in immigration law.

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