The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that people who sponsor immigrants will be subjected to additional financial scrutiny as part of a plan to "protect American taxpayers."

People who want to sponsor immigrants will be required to provide the government with credit reports, credit scores, tax returns and bank account information, according to a news release from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Sponsors who received "means-tested public benefits" within the past 36 months would need a joint sponsor.

Watch the video for the full story.