FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP IMMIGRATION 'PUBLIC CHARGE' RULE DUE TO PANDEMIC

On July 30, 2020 a federal judge in New York temporarily blocked the Trump administration from carrying out two rules that bar immigrants from living in the U.S. if officials believe they will use too many public benefits, such as food stamps or Medicaid.

Judge George Daniels of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a nationwide injunction stopping the administration from enforcing the requirements, citing the urgency of the coronavirus pandemic.

The rule, from the Department of Homeland Security, would make it easier for immigration officials to deny entry or legal status to people likely to rely on government assistance. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) issued a notice in March to clarify that immigrants seeking treatment for coronavirus would not be penalized.