New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Attorney General Letitia James have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration over a planned expansion of the federal “public charge” rule, which allows officials to deny visa and green card applications based on an applicant’s likelihood of using public benefits.
The administration’s proposed change would broaden the list of benefits that count against applicants under the rule, with the new policy set to take effect Sept. 18.
Mamdani filed his lawsuit jointly with James and is being joined by several other cities and counties, including Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Santa Clara County and King County.
At a press conference Monday, Mamdani said the rule would not affect citizens or people seeking humanitarian relief such as asylum, but warned it would create widespread confusion among immigrant communities.
“The new public charge rule not only sweeps aside more than a century of established law, it is intentionally vague as a means of creating uncertainty and fear to isolate immigrant New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.
“Make no mistake, this is an undisguised effort to strip New Yorkers of the services they rely on, the public benefits they are entitled to,” he added.
Mamdani said the rule could push as many as 4 million people to unenroll from health coverage out of fear that using benefits could jeopardize immigration applications for themselves or family members.
Separately, James is leading a coalition of 21 other states and the District of Columbia in a challenge asking the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to block the rule before it takes effect.
“Hardworking families should not be forced to go without the support they need because they fear asking for assistance will get them deported,” James said in a statement. “This rule preys on that fear and counts on families forfeiting the food assistance, health care coverage, and other public benefits to which they are legally entitled. My office fought this exact policy once before and won, and we are leading the nation to ensure the Trump administration cannot inflict this harm on families again.”
The White House had not responded to a request for comment as of publication.
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