The Supreme Court won’t weigh in on the legality of a controversial Trump administration policy that allows immigrants to be denied permanent residency over their use of public benefits such as Medicaid or food stamps. The dismissal comes after an agreement by the Biden administration and states and groups challenging the “public charge” rule.
It’s the latest outgrowth of the Biden administration’s effort to undo many of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The new administration recently dismissed high court appeals over former President Trump’s effort to deny funding to so-called sanctuary communities.
The justices, at the administration’s request, also put off cases they had agreed to hear over the funding of portions of the wall along the border with Mexico and the policy of forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their hearings.
The high court in late February agreed to hear a Trump administration appeal of a lower court ruling against the so-called public charge rule. The policy allows the denial of permanent residency status to immigrants because of their use of housing vouchers, food stamps, Medicaid or other benefits. The justices had agreed to hear the case even as President Biden called for a “top-to-bottom” review of the rule.
On Tuesday, the Biden administration withdrew the appeal, saying all parties involved agreed to dismiss the case.
The immigrant groups that had been challenging the policy said that clears “the way at last for this unlawful rule to no longer be enforced.” Previously, the Supreme Court had divided 5-4 over allowing the policy to take effect while the legal challenge continued. The legal challenge involved New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New York City and several organizations.
Under the Trump administration policy, applicants for green cards had to show they wouldn’t be burdens to the country or “public charges.”
Federal law already required those seeking permanent residency or legal status to prove they wouldn’t be a “public charge.” But the Trump administration rule included a wider range of programs that could disqualify them.
Immigrant rights advocates deemed it a “wealth test,” while public health experts said it would mean poorer health outcomes and rising costs as low-income migrants chose between needed services and their bid to stay in the country legally.
Discover more from Today Headline
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.