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Public Charge Blocked Nationwide
Posted on Oct 11 2019
October 11, 2019 – Today, two injunctions were issued blocking the Trump administration from implementing a new public charge rule. The nationwide preliminary injunctions issued in State of New York v. United States Department of Homeland Security and State of Washington v. United States Department of Homeland Security (in which the State of Minnesota is a plaintiff) prevent application of the rule to refuse admission to immigrants who use certain public benefits such as Medicaid, SNAP, and affordable housing. These lawsuits were two of nine legal challenges filed across the country.
The Immigrant law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) is part of one of the nine legal challenges. Along with the City of Baltimore and five other plaintiffs, ILCM challenged the constitutionality and legality of the changes to public charge in a lawsuit filed in federal district court in Baltimore earlier this month. The complaint argued that “the Public Charge Rule makes dramatic changes to immigration policy that are designed to reduce legal immigration levels and to disfavor poorer immigrants and immigrants of color.” The consequences of immigrants and their families giving up needed health care, food, and affordable housing would be felt not just by immigrants and their families, but also by all members of our communities.
“ILCM celebrates the blocking of the public charge rule,” said Veena Iyer, executive director of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. “The rule would harm residents, communities, and economies all across Minnesota and the country. While we celebrate, we also recognize that there is still work to do. This injunction does not block public charge permanently. We hope this decision can serve as a positive indication for our own legal challenge. We want to see this public charge rule blocked nationally and for good.”