States and Cities Sue Trump Administration Over Green Card Policy Changes

6:05 AM ETDeveloping

Politics Desk

In Short: California and 20 other states and the District of Columbia have filed lawsuits challenging new Trump administration rules that could deny green cards to immigrants who have used public assistance programs.

California and 20 other states and the District of Columbia have filed lawsuits challenging new Trump administration rules that could deny green cards to immigrants who have used public assistance programs. The lawsuits, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, argue that the new policies seek to 'rewrite more than 100 years of law' by making even brief use of public benefits in the past grounds for denying legal permanent residency. Bonta stated, 'No family should have to choose between accessing healthcare and nutrition assistance today—or protecting their pathway to a green card tomorrow.

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, also part of the challenge, said the new policies are 'a blatant attempt to sow fear and confusion in our immigrant communities and coerce people into withdrawing from critical government services.' The new policy, according to Bonta, gives immigration officers 'unprecedented, sweeping new discretion to deny admission' to families that have tapped any number of public assistance programs. The lawsuits were filed in federal court in New York.

Among the cities joining the challenge are Chicago and San Francisco, with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announcing a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration. The new rules, which rescind a 2022 policy, are argued to be aimed at protecting taxpayer dollars and expecting immigrants to be self-sufficient.

What's still developing

“Sanctuary states are terrified they will lose federal funds because hundreds of thousands of illegals and noncitizens might remove themselves from American welfare programs,” the spokesperson said.
As another, he said the new rules could penalize immigrant families for accessing basic, preventative healthcare that actually helps control the broader public cost of illness to localities and states.
President Trump won office on a promise to rein in illegal immigration.
A mother and daughter are pictured at a protest against arrests of immigrants at green card appointments in Salt Lake City.
(Photo by Annie Knox, Utah News Dispatch)States, cities and counties filed a pair of lawsuits Monday challenging new federal rules that will allow immigrants’ use of safety net resources to be taken into account for green cards and other applications to stay in or enter the country.
Such non-cash benefits were previously restricted from public charge consideration under the Biden administration.

Sources

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