This workshop was facilitated by Izzy Goodman, Paralegal with the Student Borrower Advocacy Project of the New York legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) and Leigh Wicclair, Executive Director of the North Carolina Legal Education Assistance Foundation (NC LEAF), and covered:
Changes to the Federal Student Loan Program
Limits to Grad Plus Borrowers
Where to go for help
This workshop will cover:
Broader Benefits Considered: Under the old rules, officers mostly looked at cash welfare (like TANF) or long-term nursing home care paid by the government. Under the new guidance, officers can look at any means-tested public benefits (benefits based on having a low income), such as food stamps (SNAP), Medicaid, or housing help.
Family Benefits: Officers can now look at benefits used by family members if those benefits support the applicant.
Timing Matters: The new rule only applies to green card/adjustment of status applications (Form I-485) filed on or after September 18, 2026. Benefits used before that date are generally judged under the older, narrower rules.
