Can Immigrant Workers Apply for Unemployment Benefits without Repercussions?
May 2, 2020
By Dr. Nelson Castillo La Opinion
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration And Immigration Service's (USCIS) recent Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds rule states that unemployment benefits do not count as public benefits because they are considered to be benefits obtained through the person's legal employment and tax deductions.
U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain immigrant workers authorized to legally work in the United States may apply for unemployment benefits if they meet the proper requirements. This includes people with work permits under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs. Undocumented people in the United States cannot apply for unemployment benefits because they are not authorized to work in the country.
