public charge

American  

noun

1. a person who is in economic distress and is supported at government expense.

   He assured the American consul that the prospective immigrant would not become a public charge.

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Etymology

Origin of public charge

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

For every visa application, State Department officials are directed to determine whether the person they are evaluating might become a “public charge” if admitted to the U.S.—meaning the person would likely need welfare or other public assistance.

From The Wall Street Journal

The range of electric cars has improved, as has the number of public charge points.

From BBC

Prices can vary a lot when using public charge points, depending on factors including the speed of the charger and the time of day.

From BBC

Connie Chung Joe, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, said she has been told of Asian immigrants canceling medical appointments because they are afraid of being seen as a public charge.

From Los Angeles Times

His house had been foreclosed on, and he was himself, as the New York Times described him, a “white-haired, tattered public charge.”

From Los Angeles Times