Mamdani, Other Mayors Sue Trump Over Rule Denying Green Cards To Immigrants Who Use Public Aid

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is joining several other mayors around the country to file a joint lawsuit against Donald Trump‘s immigration policies. As Trump aims to create more hurdles for lawful immigrants seeking green cards or visas, the plaintiffs filed their lawsuit on Monday in the Southern District of New York, Politico reported.

What did Mamdani and the other mayors say in the lawsuit against Donald Trump?

Mamdani and his peers are specifically taking issue with a new Trump policy that allows the government to deny visas or green cards for immigrants who used public programs such as food or healthcare assistance. According to The Wall Street Journal, the policy also blocks immigrants from green cards if their family members used state or federal financial aid for college.

The lawsuit against the Trump administration states that the new policy violates the decades-long precedent that has allowed green cards and visas to be issued to immigrants who depend on government benefits. During a press conference on Monday, Mamdani argued that immigrant families should not be discouraged from using public programs.

“Nothing about this rule will reduce waste or keep Americans safer or improve New Yorkers’ lives,” Mamdani said on Monday, per The Wall Street Journal. “It is simply a vehicle for confusion and a vehicle for cruelty.”

Which cities have joined Mamdani in the lawsuit against Trump’s latest immigration policy?

California’s Santa Clara County and San Francisco are joining Mamdani in the lawsuit, along with Chicago, Seattle and King County in Washington.

“Chicago will not stand by while the federal government forces immigrant families to choose between putting food on the table, taking their children to the doctor, or protecting their ability to remain in this country,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement, per Politco. “This rule is not only cruel, it is unlawful, and it threatens the health and safety of our entire city.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James also filed a separate lawsuit against the Trump administration, representing New York and about two dozen other states to fight back against the latest immigration policy. Standing alongside Mamdani at Monday’s press conference, James echoed the mayor’s sentiment.

“This public charge rule goes back to 1822, where Congress basically said that it only applies to individuals who cannot support themselves, not individuals who apply every now and then for public assistance because they fall on hard times,” she said.

The post Mamdani, Other Mayors Sue Trump Over Rule Denying Green Cards To Immigrants Who Use Public Aid appeared first on Blavity.