A coalition of 21 state prosecutors on Wednesday urged the State Department to formally withdraw the Trump administration’s version of the public charge rule.
The request was made through a letter addressed to Secretary Antony Blinken in which the coalition highlighted the damage caused by the public charge rule imposed by the previous Administration (2017-2021).
“It’s 2022, and unfortunately, we’re still stuck cleaning up the mess of the Trump Administration,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.
Bonta, who is leading the petition, explained that these kinds of policies “inevitably hurt all of us,” adding that during this particular pandemic, “we need to encourage people to take advantage of important public programs that help keep people healthy, with safe accommodation and food.
In March 2021, the Administration of current President Joe Biden formally rescinded the rule under which permanent legal residence (green card) can be denied to immigrants who, in the opinion of the authorities, can resort to social benefits such as housing subsidies. , food stamps or medical assistance.
Trump’s decision generated numerous lawsuits in the courts and, after his presidential inauguration a year ago, Biden made it clear that his administration would not continue to defend the “public charge” rule.
The Biden administration opened a comment period last year to ensure the new proposal does not place undue burdens on foreign nationals seeking admission or adjustment of status in the United States.
The Attorneys General of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, also joined the call made by the California prosecutor.