Pennsylvania, other states sue Trump over ‘ public charge’ rule

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pennsylvania joined a coalition of states suing the Trump administration Friday to challenge the legality of a new “public charge” rule that could deny green cards to immigrants who receive public assistance, including food stamps, Medicaid and housing vouchers.

The lawsuit was filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in federal court just days after the Trump administration published a new rule that could make it harder for many immigrants to get legal status in the United States. In addition to Pennsylvania and California, Maine, Oregon and the District of Columbia made up the coalition bringing the suit.

“The Trump Administration’s Public Charge Rule is a blatant attack on low- income immigrants who are here legally, contributing to our society, and standing on their own two feet — the exact people who are welcomed to our nation by the Emma Lazarus poem emblazoned on the Statue of Liberty,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom also criticized the federal policy change, saying in a statement:

“This latest move by the federal administration to demonize immigrants is personal for us, in a state where half of our children have at least one immigrant parent,” the governor said. “This new rule, designed to create fear in immigrant families, is cruel and threatens our public health. That is not who we are in California, and not who we are as Americans.”

Immigrants applying for green cards are already required by federal law to prove that they won’t become a “public charge,” posing a financial burden to the United States.

The new restrictions, however, outline a broader range of programs that could disqualify immigrants from obtaining legal status, allowing federal officials to consider those programs along with an immigrant’s household income, education and health.

The lawsuit argues the rule posted Monday in the federal register creates unnecessary new barriers to eligible immigrants, setting such a strict standard that if it were applied to U. S. citizens nearly a majority would be considered a “public charge.”

In the court filing, Mr. Becerra says the rule violates the equal protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendment, disproportionately blocking admission of non- white, non- European immigrants from Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Mr. Becerra added that the rule improperly punishes immigrants for participating in widely used public benefits programs, and the federal government failed to adequately determine the cost to the country and its states if more people suffer from poverty as a result of the rule change.

“In California we know that welcoming and investing in all communities makes our entire nation stronger,” Mr. Becerra said. “I know this being the son of hard- working, modest immigrants who likely would have been victims of this regressive policy. We will fight this unlawful rule every step of the way.”

The Trump administration defended the new rule this week.

“We certainly expect anyone of any income to stand on their own two feet,” Ken Cuccinelli, acting head of Citizenship and Immigration Services, said on Monday. “A poor person can be prepared to be self- sufficient. Many have been throughout the history of this country, so let’s not look at that as the be- all and end- all.”

The lawsuit is the 56th legal challenge that California has filed against the Trump administration.