City vows immig-aid reg battle

City officials and immigrant advocates are vowing to fight against President Trump’s “public charge” proposal — which could force 75,000 legal immigrants in New York City to decide between receiving benefits like food stamps or getting a green card.

“My message is we’re going to fight this mistaken, broken policy,” de Blasio said, noting he’d spoken with Republican and Democratic mayors from other cities who agreed. “This is a horrible proposal that will undermine our cities, undermine our economies, it’s unfair to people who play by the rules.”

The rule change, which was listed officially in the federal register Wednesday and proposed by the administration as a cost-cutting measure, would dramatically expand the kinds of public assistance that can count against certain categories of immigrants when they apply for a green card — to include SNAP food stamps, Medicaid, and housing assistance.

The immigrants targeted by the proposal are in the U.S. legally and are allowed to access those social services.

“President Trump is talking out both sides of his mouth. He has a very negative attitude toward people who came here without documentation, but here you’re talking about people who have done everything by the rules … and he wants to penalize them,” de Blasio said. “It’s a classic nativist message, and it’s going to drive us into the ground.”

The rule has not yet gone into effect, and is now subject to a 60-day comment period.