Public charge rules for green card holder

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Public charge rules for green card holder

I’m a green card holder (being a winner of the DV lottery).
First time came to USA on February 2019.
At the week of my arrival I applied for Calfresh. Automatically I was qualified for Medi-Cal. To be eligible for programs the monthly income limit was $1400 for both benefits and I supposed to report income changes.
In a half month I started two part-time jobs.

My Calfresh benefits were approved with using of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card. But I’ve never received the card itself and I couldn’t use it.

In the middle of the last year I got envelope with semi-annual report (SAR 7), which I had to complete to continue to be eligible for benefit. I ignored that.
Then I got the mail that my Calfresh was stopped, but not Medi-Cal.
Nearly at this time I started full-time, and my employer offered me company’s insurance. I refused it (signed decline to the ins coverage documents).

So, I neither reported any changes in my jobs nor income changes. And with my first paychecks I started to earn more than 1400$ per month.

I’ve also never used my Medi-Cal (hope scheduling of the appointment and then cancelling it doesn’t count).

Is it a public charge?
Will this situation influence on my naturalization process?
What are the consequences?
What are the right steps to handle this?
Any problems travelling outside U.S.?
And of course, I want and ready to drop Medi-Cal, and I don’t need Calfresh as well.

Some more facts (don’t know if it could change the whole picture itself): during the whole period starting from February 2019 I changed several jobs, there was a second full time job in the beginning of the 2020, which I lost during Covid while being trainee. Now I’m temporary on EDD, and will start with new position on July. My gross income in 2019 was 26k, in 2020 will be probably less than that.

Any advice and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Анна Даниелян

Hi, relying on public benefits for living is public charge,  however, you are not subject to Public Charge, as you came as a resident way before it passed. The law does not act retroactively, so you have nothing to worry about.

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