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| Trump official revises Statue of Liberty poem to defend migrant rule change | Trump official revises Statue of Liberty poem to defend migrant rule change |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| A top US immigration official has revised a quote inscribed on the Statue of Liberty in defence of a new policy that denies food aid to legal migrants. | A top US immigration official has revised a quote inscribed on the Statue of Liberty in defence of a new policy that denies food aid to legal migrants. |
| The head of Citizenship and Immigration Services tweaked the passage: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free". | The head of Citizenship and Immigration Services tweaked the passage: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free". |
| The official added the words "who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge". | The official added the words "who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge". |
| He later said the poem had referred to "people coming from Europe". | |
| Ken Cuccinelli, the Trump administration's acting head of Citizenship and Immigration Services, announced on Monday a new "public charge" requirement that limits legal migrants from seeking certain public benefits such as public housing or food aid, or are considered likely to do so in the future. | Ken Cuccinelli, the Trump administration's acting head of Citizenship and Immigration Services, announced on Monday a new "public charge" requirement that limits legal migrants from seeking certain public benefits such as public housing or food aid, or are considered likely to do so in the future. |
| The new regulation, known as a "public charge rule", was published in the Federal Register on Monday and will take effect on 15 October. | The new regulation, known as a "public charge rule", was published in the Federal Register on Monday and will take effect on 15 October. |
| The rule change is intended to reinforce "ideals of self-sufficiency", officials said. Critics argue that it will prevent low-income US residents from seeking help. | The rule change is intended to reinforce "ideals of self-sufficiency", officials said. Critics argue that it will prevent low-income US residents from seeking help. |
| What did the official say? | What did the official say? |
| On Tuesday, Mr Cuccinelli was asked by NPR whether the 1883 poem titled The New Colossus at the Statue of Liberty on New York's Ellis Island still applied. | On Tuesday, Mr Cuccinelli was asked by NPR whether the 1883 poem titled The New Colossus at the Statue of Liberty on New York's Ellis Island still applied. |
| "Would you also agree that Emma Lazarus's words etched on the Statue of Liberty, 'Give me your tired, give me your poor,' are also a part of the American ethos?" asked NPR's Rachel Martin. | "Would you also agree that Emma Lazarus's words etched on the Statue of Liberty, 'Give me your tired, give me your poor,' are also a part of the American ethos?" asked NPR's Rachel Martin. |
| "They certainly are," Mr Cuccinelli responded. "Give me your tired and your poor - who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge." | "They certainly are," Mr Cuccinelli responded. "Give me your tired and your poor - who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge." |
| "That plaque was put on the Statue of Liberty at almost the same time as the first public charge [law] was passed - very interesting timing," he added. | "That plaque was put on the Statue of Liberty at almost the same time as the first public charge [law] was passed - very interesting timing," he added. |
| The actual passage reads in part: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" | The actual passage reads in part: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" |
| In the interview, he added that immigrants are welcome "who can stand on their own two feet, be self-sufficient, pull themselves up by their bootstraps, again, as in the American tradition". | In the interview, he added that immigrants are welcome "who can stand on their own two feet, be self-sufficient, pull themselves up by their bootstraps, again, as in the American tradition". |
| After the host asked if the policy "appears to change the definition of the American dream," he said: "We invite people to come here and join us as a privilege. | After the host asked if the policy "appears to change the definition of the American dream," he said: "We invite people to come here and join us as a privilege. |
| "No one has a right to become an American who isn't born here as an American." | "No one has a right to become an American who isn't born here as an American." |
| Mr Cuccinelli was pressed later on CNN about his comments, and pushed back on claims he was trying to re-write the poem. He insisted he was answering a question and accused people on the left of "twisting" his comments. | |
| Then asked by anchor Erin Burnett about what America stands for, he said: "Of course that poem was referring back to people coming from Europe - where they had class-based societies where people were considering wretched if they weren't in the right class." | |
| The two then discussed their own immigrant ancestry, with Ms Burnett pointing out his rule would have "excluded" her family. | |
| "I'm here because they were allowed in, and I'm an anchor on CNN," she said. | |
| Beto O'Rouke, a Democratic presidential hopeful from Texas, shared a clip from the interview and said the comments show his Trump administration "think the Statue of Liberty only applies to white people". | |
| Who will be affected by the new rule? | Who will be affected by the new rule? |
| Immigrants who are already permanent residents in the US are unlikely to be affected by the rule change. | Immigrants who are already permanent residents in the US are unlikely to be affected by the rule change. |
| It also does not apply to refugees and asylum applicants. | It also does not apply to refugees and asylum applicants. |
| But applicants for visa extensions, green cards or US citizenship will be subject to the change. | But applicants for visa extensions, green cards or US citizenship will be subject to the change. |
| Those who do not meet income standards or who are deemed likely to rely on benefits such as Medicaid (government-run healthcare) or housing vouchers in future may be blocked from entering the country. | Those who do not meet income standards or who are deemed likely to rely on benefits such as Medicaid (government-run healthcare) or housing vouchers in future may be blocked from entering the country. |
| Those already in the US could also have their applications rejected. | Those already in the US could also have their applications rejected. |
| An estimated 22 million legal residents in the US are without citizenship, and many of these are likely to be affected. | An estimated 22 million legal residents in the US are without citizenship, and many of these are likely to be affected. |
| President Trump has made immigration a central theme of his administration. This latest move is part of his government's efforts to curb legal immigration. | President Trump has made immigration a central theme of his administration. This latest move is part of his government's efforts to curb legal immigration. |
| What has reaction been? | What has reaction been? |
| The Democratic led House Homeland Security Committee condemned Mr Cuccinelli's revision in a tweet, calling the words "vile and un-American". | The Democratic led House Homeland Security Committee condemned Mr Cuccinelli's revision in a tweet, calling the words "vile and un-American". |
| "It's clear the Trump Administration just wants to keep certain people out," the committee wrote, calling Mr Cuccinelli "a xenophobic, anti-immigrant fringe figure who has no business being in government". | "It's clear the Trump Administration just wants to keep certain people out," the committee wrote, calling Mr Cuccinelli "a xenophobic, anti-immigrant fringe figure who has no business being in government". |
| Others pointed to his background as the attorney general of Virginia, in which he led a conservative campaign against immigration and homosexuality. | Others pointed to his background as the attorney general of Virginia, in which he led a conservative campaign against immigration and homosexuality. |
| Asked about Mr Cuccinelli's remarks on Tuesday, President Trump did not directly respond to the Statue of Liberty quote, but said: "I don't think it's fair to have the American taxpayer pay for people to come into the United States." | Asked about Mr Cuccinelli's remarks on Tuesday, President Trump did not directly respond to the Statue of Liberty quote, but said: "I don't think it's fair to have the American taxpayer pay for people to come into the United States." |
| "I'm tired of seeing our taxpayer paying for people to come into the country and immediately go onto welfare and various other things. | "I'm tired of seeing our taxpayer paying for people to come into the country and immediately go onto welfare and various other things. |
| "So I think we're doing it right." | "So I think we're doing it right." |