Beginning September 18, 2026, immigration officers reviewing green card cases will be free to weigh an applicant's use of Medicaid, food stamps and housing aid in ways they haven't been able to since 2022. DHS confirmed the change this summer, and for Latino households that mix citizens, green card holders and relatives still working toward permanent status, it turns a routine choice — enrolling a child in Medicaid, say — into one that carries immigration weight again.
