Federal district courts in Washington, New York, and California have blocked the Trump Administration’s public charge rule from going into effect. The Southern District of New York’s ruling applies on a nationwide basis, with the other two rulings limited to the relevant jurisdictions. The rule, issued in August by the Department of Homeland Security, expanded the types of public benefits that may be considered when assessing whether an individual is a “public charge” for purposes of altering their immigration status. It was scheduled to go into effect on October 15. The Trump Administration is expected to appeal the decisions.
