A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from denying green cards to immigrants who rely on certain government programs for financial assistance.
Judge Gary Feinerman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled Monday that the new “public charge” rule was “arbitrary and capricious” and that the executive branch overstepped its authority by advancing such a policy. Feinerman, who was appointee by Barack Obama, stated that the Trump administration’s explanation that immigrants should be self-sufficient had no legal basis, and the government failed to consider the impact of its plan.
“Public charge” is the government’s term for noncitizens who have received long-term financial or other assistance. The Department of Homeland Security issued a rule in August 2019 that outlined new categories of immigrants to be barred from entry or denied visa renewals due to reliance on U.S. government benefits, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.
The now-blocked rule would have meant immigrants applying for legal permanent residency, a step before applying for citizenship, would be judged based on additional types of assistance they have accepted from the federal government for at least 12 months in any 36-month period. The rule would have affected hundreds of thousands of applicants.
Acting USCIS Director Ken Cuccinelli said at the time that the administration was “reinforcing the ideals of our self-sufficiency and personal responsibility, ensuring that immigrants are able to support themselves and become successful here in America.”
A slew of states and organizations sued, saying the definition of public charge discriminated against the poor and others.
The New York Times reported Monday that the Trump administration is expected to appeal Feinerman’s decision.
