The story behind 'The New Colossus' poem on the Statue of Liberty and how it became a symbol of immigration

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

These iconic words from "The New Colossus," the 1883 poem written by American Emma Lazarus etched in bronze and mounted on the Statue of Liberty's pedestal, have again been catapulted into a heated political debate on immigration.

The Trump administration announced a "public charge" rule on Monday that could drastically limit legal immigration by denying green cards for those who qualify for food stamps, Medicaid, housing vouchers and various forms of public assistance.

Some reporters invoked "The New Colossus" when asking acting Director of the Citizenship and Immigration Services office Ken Cuccinelli about the new rule. READ MORE from ABC News