Judge Blocks Green Card Denials For Poorer Immigrants

(Required) — In this Jan. 31, 2019, file photo, hundreds of people overflow onto the sidewalk in a line snaking around the block outside a U.S. immigration office with numerous courtrooms in San Francisco. Federal judges are being asked to block a new Trump administration policy scheduled to take effect next week that would deny legal permanent residency to many immigrants over the use of public benefits. Almost a dozen lawsuits have been filed from New York to California to prevent the "public charge" rule from taking effect on Oct. 15. Judges have indicated a willingness to issue rulings before the scheduled start date.

By Associated Press

October 11, 2019

Updated October 11, 2019

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in New York has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's plan to deny green cards to many immigrants who use Medicaid, food stamps and other government benefits.

U.S. District Judge George Daniels' ruling Friday prevents the policy from taking effect Oct. 15.

The Trump administration had proposed that immigrants be disqualified from getting legal U.S. residency if they were likely to become a burden on public welfare programs.

The injunction puts the policy on hold while a lawsuit over the police advances.

The lawsuit in New York is one of several legal challenges nationwide to one of Trump's most aggressive steps to cut legal immigration. Advocates say the rule changes are discriminatory because they would deny legal residency and visas to immigrants who don't have money.