The "refundable" part the of Child Tax Credit has pretty much followed the SAME rules it has for many years (it requires "earned" income).  So if you dislike those rules, those rules have been there for at least 20 years (probably there since 1986).

Actually, the new tax law made the refundable part EASIER to get (it lowers the "earned" income starting point to $2500, rather than it used to be $3000).