San Francisco Sues Federal Government to Stop Harmful New Public Charge Rules

Despite the receipt of over 200,000 letters describing potential harm from the administration’s proposed public charge rule that allows the government to deny entry or green cards to immigrants based on their use of public programs like food stamps and Medicaid, the Trump administration released the final rule on Monday. The rule is set to go into effect on October 15, 2019 if not stopped by the courts.

On Tuesday representatives for Santa Clara County and San Francisco filed a suit immediately seeking a temporary injunction in the District Court for the Northern District of California

The counties allege the rule change hurts "critical public health and safety-net systems, is arbitrary and capricious, flouts federal law, and seeks to usurp Congress’ authority by administratively repealing its longstanding family-based immigration system." and that the projected drop in noncitizens using public services as a result t of the new rule will “increase risks to the public health.”

Tuesday's lawsuit is likely the first of several legal challenges to the rule. For more information, please see

https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/