Statement from Legal Services NYC on SCOTUS Decision to Allow Trump’s ‘Public Charge Rule’ to Move Forward

January 27, 2020, New York – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow the Trump administration to begin implementing new rules that make it easier to deny residency or admission to the U.S. to certain categories of immigrants because they are using or may use public benefits. The new rules establish broad criteria for who can be considered to be dependent on the U.S. for public benefits and therefore ineligible for permanent residency and a path to citizenship.

Below is a statement from Raun Rasmussen, executive director of Legal Services NYC, the largest provider of free civil legal service in the country, on the impact of the new rules on low-income New Yorkers:

“As the nation’s largest provider of free civil legal services — including assisting low-income immigrants with access to Medicaid, food stamps or housing assistance — we know firsthand that these dramatic changes to the decades-old definition of ‘public charge’ will irreparably harm the health and safety of countless immigrant families across New York City and the U.S. These new rules will encourage low-income immigrants to stop seeking crucial public benefits that they are entitled to out of fear of jeopardizing their permanent residency applications. Already, our attorneys have heard from immigrant clients living with HIV/AIDS that they may wait to begin antiretroviral therapy in order to avoid hurting their citizenship applications. The new rules also come at a high cost to states and localities which will foot the bill for millions in emergency room visits and other costs. We encourage individuals in New York City who are concerned about the new rules and the impact on their benefits and permanent residency applications to call Legal Services NYC at 917-661-4500.”

Additional Legal Services NYC attorneys are available for media commentary on the impact of the new rules on low-income immigrants in New York City.
 
###