Story perspectives

States Sue to Block Public-Charge Rule, Seek Injunction

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 6:37 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Twenty-two states, D.C., and cities like New York and Chicago sued the Trump administration to block a public-charge rule.
The rule, effective Sept. 18, would let Department of Homeland Security (DHS) consider means-tested public benefit, including Medicaid and SNAP.
$4.05 billion in annual Medicaid and CHIP payments could be lost by states, plaintiffs say.
The suit seeks an injunction from the Southern District of New York, not monetary damages.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, added public-charge criteria to immigration law. The law projected that restricting Medicaid and SNAP for immigrants could cut federal benefits by roughly $2.5 billion annually, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Today, twenty-two states, New York, Chicago and the District of Columbia have sued the Trump administration’s DHS public-charge rule, alleging a $4.05 billion loss in Medicaid and CHIP. The litigation revives the 1996 precedent, signaling that courts may again curb expansive immigration enforcement and preserve billions in state-level public-benefit funding.

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Story summary

Twenty-two states, D.C., and cities like New York and Chicago sued the Trump administration to block a public-charge rule.
The rule, effective Sept. 18, would let Department of Homeland Security (DHS) consider means-tested public benefit, including Medicaid and SNAP.
$4.05 billion in annual Medicaid and CHIP payments could be lost by states, plaintiffs say.
The suit seeks an injunction from the Southern District of New York, not monetary damages.

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