Baltimore sues over immigration policy

BALTIMORE — The city of Baltimore sued the Trump administration Wednesday over changes the State Department made to how it weighs the use of government benefits by potential immigrants and their families when deciding to issue visas.

The State Department changed the rules in January in a way that Baltimore officials say deters city residents from claiming benefits they're entitled to — such as food stamps, housing vouchers and Medicaid — for fear of making it harder for their relatives to get visas to come to the U.S.

City Solicitor Andre Davis said that as far as he knows, the case in U.S. District Court in Maryland is the first of its kind to be filed.

“The administration has expressly recognized that altering the meaning of public charge threatens to deter immigrants, millions of whom are lawfully present in the United States or are naturalized citizens, from obtaining food, housing, medical care, and other necessities for which they and their families are indisputably eligible through public program,” Davis said in an email.

At issue is a change to the section Foreign Affairs Manual, which American diplomats use when deciding whether to grant someone a visa. The section deals with determining whether someone is likely to become a “public charge” — that is, to rely on cash benefits or long-term care from the government.

Under the new rules, diplomats are allowed to consider the use of non-cash benefits by a visa applicant's family already in the U.S.

The Trump administration has proposed a similar change to the guidelines for officials at the Department of Homeland Security, which handles immigration issues for people within the United States.