WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The administration of US President Donald Trump on Monday issued a new resolution that would not grant citizenship or permanent residence to poor immigrants receiving state subsidies, leaving hundreds of thousands of people ineligible for permanent residence because they are poorer.

The White House said in a statement that Washington's decision was part of its efforts to refocus the immigration system on those eligible for permanent residency in the United States.

The new resolution, which will take effect on October 15, is based on the need for migrants to be financially self-sufficient, the statement added.

The new resolution would squander the hopes of millions of low-wage Latin American immigrants, who rely on US government aid to provide part of their livelihoods.

Targeted by the decision
The decision targets migrants who benefit from the subsidy scheme within the medical assistance system, as well as those who receive food vouchers, housing-related items, and other government assistance.

Migrants' rights advocates in the United States said the new resolution would prompt immigrants not to seek help from the state, criticizing the move as a move to curb legal immigration without going to Congress to change the law.

The Institute for Migration Policy, a research organization, said the new decision would bar more than half of green card applicants based on kinship links.

It is noteworthy that the US authorities granted the green card to about 800 thousand in 2016.

The new resolution derives from the Immigration Act of 1882, which allows the US government to block visas for anyone likely to be a "burden on the state." In recent years, US immigration officials have identified visa applicants - who are likely to rely mainly on government aid - as a burden on the state.