More than 700,000 New Jersey residents could lose benefits under a new rule announced Monday by the Trump administration that would make it harder for immigrants to become citizens.

The new rule allows federal officials to deny green cards to legal immigrants who have received certain public benefits, such as Medicaid, food stamps -- or who are deemed likely to do so in the future.

Advocates worry about the impact the rule will have in immigrant communities.

“Folks are going to be forced to make the decision of whether or not they're going to feed their families or remain in this country,” says Rebecca Sanin, CEO of the Health & Welfare Council. “The message is very clearly that people who are not wanted here are people of color.”

New York is one of the states planning to sue the administration over the rule.

The new regulations are supposed to go into effect Oct. 15.