Letitia James, Coalition of Cities Sue to Stop Green Card Rule Change

A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general and city governments filed lawsuits challenging a new Trump administration immigration rule that expands the "public charge" test used to evaluate green card and visa applications. New York Attorney General Letitia James filed one lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Monday; a separate lawsuit was filed by a coalition of cities, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and Santa Clara and King counties. The rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security in July, replaces a 2022 Biden-era regulation and instructs immigration officers to weigh applicants' use of public benefits — including Medicaid, SNAP, housing assistance, and school meal programs — when determining whether they are likely to become a "public charge." It is scheduled to take effect Friday, September 18, and does not apply to U.S. citizens or individuals seeking humanitarian relief such as asylum.