High Approach clearances question

pattycakes Newcomer White Sands Missile Range, NM

If a high approach is created and TERPS creates it as an at clearance (not AOA) for the IAF. Would it be illegal to give an a/c a clearance below it? I know this sounds rediculous but hear me out. In the .65 it says you can ammend the altitude if needed for safety/seperation. Now I've seen it done and given the clearance with a higher altitude. My argument is that if you give him a clearance below that altitude, but he still meets any applicable MVA, MEA, etc., its still safe. Tell the pilot cross the IAF at the lower altitude, continue on the routing of the approach and intercept the altitude portion of the approach at the appropriate time refrence the flip. I've considered clearing to a fix further in the approach that has the appropriate altitude, but usually its a obscure random name and the pilot is confused to all hell. Now when they flightcheck these approaches, they aren't checking it above th IAF altitude in my understanding. So it would be just as illegal to give a clearance above as it would below?

skyhigh Newcomer

Rules to consider:

4-8-4 Altitudes above those shown on the high altitude instrument approach procedures chart may be specified when required for separation.

5-9-1 c. For a nonprecision approach, at an altitude which will allow descent in accordance with the published procedure.

AIM 5-4-5 e. 2. Because of differences in the areas considered for MVA, and those applied to other minimum altitudes, and the ability to isolate specific obstacles, some MVAs may be lower than the nonradar Minimum En Route Altitudes (MEAs), Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitudes (MOCAs) or other minimum altitudes depicted on charts for a given location.

Can you not say "maintain at or above..." or assign a crossing restriction on one of the segments of the IAP? The facility I work at has multiple High-IAPs and this is what we do....

pattycakes Newcomer White Sands Missile Range, NM

Normally I would use an AOA clearances but I happened to be non radar when I first applied it and the IAF was inside the protected airspace for the holding pattern. I had guys stacked from the IAF altitude up 4k. Its what got me on this whole thing. Personally my current facility is really slow and primarily VFR and we dont really need restrictive clearances. Never any reason. I appreciate the insight though to how you do it there. If a situation ever arrises again Ill more than likely clear them to a portion of the IAP or restrict them like you suggested. Thanks for the refrences as well.
PM