President Donald Trump is now instructing agencies to enforce a 23-year-old law that requires sponsors of green card holders to reimburse the government for welfare benefits.

The effort is a further step to crack down on legal immigration.

Trump approved a memorandum on Thursday which enforce a pair of provisions that was first signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996.

President Trump signed a memorandum that would see anyone sponsoring an immigrant who collects welfare benefits before becoming a legal permanent resident to have to pay the bill

It requires any individual sponsoring a non-citizen to take financial responsibility for any income-based welfare benefits that the immigrant receives

New US citizens attend a naturalization ceremony at the Convention Center in Los Angeles. Around 6,000 people become citizens each day

'To protect benefits for American citizens, immigrants must be financially self-sufficient,' Trump said as he announced the plan.

Critics have said the move will ultimately punish low-income immigrants who often need assistance to start their lives in the U.S.

The White House believes that too many immigrants are taking advantage of U.S. generosity.

One statistic noted 58% of all homes headed by a non-citizen use at least one welfare program.

'This is a historic, transformative action to restore the foundational principle of U.S. immigration law: that those seeking to join our society must support themselves financially. Furthermore, those who, for whatever reason, cannot support themselves financially, must turn to their sponsor -- not the federal government,' the an aide said to RealClearPolitics.

New citizens take the Oath of Citizenship during a naturalization ceremony held in Oxford, Mississippi. In 2018, the United States welcomed 750000 people nationwide

Immigration advocates said that the policy was a 'brutal, reckless, dangerous, inhumane agenda.'

'Trump will do anything to send immigrant families the message that if you're not white and wealthy, you're not welcome — or even safe — here,' the two advocates, who are also co-chairs of the Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign, said in a statement. 'And he doesn't care that children and entire families will be harmed in the process.'

Under current law, citizens can sign an affidavit of support to sponsor an immigrant, usually a family member.

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the document signals that an individual accepts financial responsibility for the newcomer.

Under Trump, the federal government would expect to be repaid for any benefits offered such as food stamps, housing support, and health care.

Officials last year announced that a law requiring immigrants to 'show they can support themselves financially,' was being enforced.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks on 'modernizing our immigration system'. Last month he unveiled a new legal immigration proposal, which would prioritize high-skilled immigrants and restrict family-based migration

The U.S. grants green cards to roughly 1 million foreigners each year with around 6 out of 10 being granted based on family ties.

Thursday's memorandum is the latest effort by the administration to limit what public benefits legal and undocumented immigrants can receive.

'I don't want to have anyone coming in that's on welfare,' the president told Breitbart News in a March interview. 'We have a problem, because we have politicians that are not strong, or they have bad intentions, or they want to get votes, because they think if [immigrants] come in they're going to vote Democrat, you know, for the most part.

'I don't like the idea of people coming in and going on welfare for 50 years, and that's what they want to be able to do — and it's no good.'