The Trump administration could be preparing a major move on legal immigration.
According to the Wall Street Journal, officials are considering a $100,000 bond requirement for certain green-card applicants at U.S. consulates abroad. The bond would be refunded only after the immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, a process that typically takes at least five years. The stated aim is to ensure that new arrivals are financially self-sufficient and not a drain on the country’s social services.
This is an excellent idea to ensure immigrants are highly skilled and don't depend on the government.
— Daniel Di Martino (@DanielDiMartino) July 15, 2026
An idea I proposed last year when I described what a strong and efficient public charge rule would look like ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/263SbedanW
Eminently common sense https://t.co/PUO8YEGrto pic.twitter.com/FG9rQmo81x
— Daniel Di Martino (@DanielDiMartino) July 16, 2026
The State Department is currently developing the proposal.
Discussions have centered on imposing steep bonds on immigrant-visa applicants who would receive a green card upon arrival. Some State Department officials have floated the $100,000 price tag, according to people familiar with the plans. The exact bond amount, however, could vary on a case-by-case basis. Officials are also considering piloting the idea in a small number of countries as a proof of concept once it's more fully developed
“President Trump has made clear that those who wish to immigrate to the United States must be financially self-sufficient,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
The move builds on a central premise of legal immigration: we want people who will add to America, not subtract from it.
As Milton Friedman explained decades ago, that filter used to be automatic because the United States had no welfare state. Those who chose to come here did so because they wanted to build something and work to succeed. That same limiting factor no longer exists, which is why too many immigrants end up dependent on welfare resources and American taxpayers.
“If people immigrate under circumstances where they are all promised a prorated share of the pot, then free immigration would mean a reduction of everybody to the same uniform level.”
— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) August 19, 2025
-Milton Friedman on why you cannot have free immigration in a welfare state pic.twitter.com/V1qfxB7IU7
If carried through, this policy would help reinstate that filter in an age where we can no longer simply abolish our social-welfare programs.