New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James, has filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's expansion of the "public charge" rule, which allows federal authorities to deny visa and green card applications to individuals deemed likely to rely on public benefits. The administration's updated policy, set to take effect on September 18, broadens the scope of benefits considered in these decisions.
Mamdani stated at a press conference that the new rule is "intentionally vague" and designed to create fear and isolate immigrant New Yorkers. He argued that the policy overturns over a century of established law and could compel up to 4 million people to disenroll from essential services, such as healthcare, due to fear of jeopardizing their immigration status. Mamdani emphasized that the changes do not affect citizens or individuals seeking humanitarian relief like asylum.
Several other major cities and counties, including Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Santa Clara County, and King County, are joining New York in the lawsuit. Mamdani characterized the rule as an "undisguised effort to strip New Yorkers of the services they rely on."
Concurrently, Attorney General Letitia James is leading a separate challenge to the rule, heading a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia. This group is urging the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to block the policy. James asserted that the administration's rule preys on fear, potentially causing families to forfeit legally entitled benefits like food assistance and healthcare. She noted that her office has successfully challenged similar policies in the past and is committed to preventing this "harm on families."