The Supreme Court dismissed several pending appeals over a Trump administration rule penalizing lawful immigrants for seeking public assistance, acting on joint requests filed Tuesday by the Biden administration and plaintiffs challenging the policy.
The Justice Department, which didn’t publicly announce the move, declined to comment after the filings were docketed by the Supreme Court. Immigrant-rights groups said the filings were a precursor to rescinding the public-charge policy still in place.
“This case is over, and this victory means the American Dream is alive and well,” said San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, one of several local officials who sued to block the Trump-era policy. “The previous administration’s attempt to impose a wealth test on immigrants who came here legally was bad for our economy, bad for public health and bad for our country.”
Several immigrant advocacy groups that also sued the Trump administration said they expected the rule no longer would be enforced. “Immigrant families can now access lifesaving healthcare, food and housing assistance for which they are eligible without fear that they will lose the chance to obtain lawful permanent residence,” said a statement from Make the Road New York, the African Services Committee, the Asian American Federation, Catholic Charities Community Services and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.