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Politics & Government Active Updated Sep 15, 2026

The public charge fight

New York City and Attorney General Letitia James sued in Manhattan federal court to block a Trump administration rule, set to take effect Sept. 18, that lets immigration officers count lawful use of benefits like food stamps and housing assistance against green-card applicants. The city estimates more than 16,000 NYC Health + Hospitals patients on Medicaid or Child Health Plus could disenroll, and projects a rise in premature mortality among immigrants and citizen children in mixed-status households. The fight tests whether a judge blocks the rule before it takes effect, as courts did with a s

The story so far

  1. Sep 15, 2026 Latest

    New York City, joined by several other cities and counties, and a states' coalition led by Attorney General Letitia James filed lawsuits in Manhattan federal court to block a Trump administration rule, set to take effect Sept. 18, that would let immigration officers weigh use of benefits like food stamps and housing assistance against green-card applicants. The city said more than 16,000 NYC Health + Hospitals patients on Medicaid or Child Health Plus could disenroll, and projected premature mortality could rise 4.4% to 10.6% over five years among city immigrants and citizen children in mixed-status households.

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