Maryland AG Anthony Brown and 22-State Coalition Sue to Block Federal Public Charge Rule Changes
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a coalition of 21 other states and the District of Columbia in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) to block a new federal public charge rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Key Changes in the New Policy * Expanded Definition : The rule allows immigration officers broad discretion to count virtually any means-tested public benefit, regardless of duration of use, against an individual’s lawful permanent resident (green card) application. * Family Member Benefit Use : Immigration officials would be permitted to penalize applicants for benefits lawfully utilized by dependents they are legally obligated to support, even when those dependents are U.S. citizens. * Reversal of 2022 Standards : The policy rolls back the 2022 standard that strictly limited public charge evaluations to cash assistance for income maintenance or government-funded long-ter...