income and potential of future reliance on programs. >> unless you're making a middle class salary, in perfect physical health you could be denied a green card. >> reporter: the united states citizenship say the law is to make sure people can support themselves. with this new proposal the government says the applicant would have a better chance of legal status if a family of three, for example, makes at least $51,000 a year. in 2017, this family did not make that amount? >> i was making about $15 per hour. >> reporter: after a little over a year things changed. >> on december 2017 i got a job offer. >> reporter: as a business analyst. she and her husband now make at least $100,000 combined enough to get off of public assistance. she says they are now proud to pay more taxes.