Archive · 15 Sep 2026
NYC Mayor Mamdani Leads Cities Challenging Trump’s Public Charge Rule
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Attorney General Letitia James are challenging a federal immigration rule.
The rule is called the public charge rule.
It is scheduled to begin on September 18.
Under the rule, officials can consider more public benefits when reviewing some green card and visa applications.
Mamdani, James and other local governments want a court to stop the rule.
They say the federal government does not have the authority to expand the rule this way.
They also say the rule breaks a law governing federal agencies.
Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle are part of the coalition.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Attorney General Letitia James are suing the federal government.
The lawsuit challenges a new public charge immigration rule scheduled to take effect September 18.
The rule expands which public benefits officials may consider in green card and visa decisions.
The coalition argues the rule exceeds federal authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act.
Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle are among the cities and counties joining the challenge.
- Who
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Attorney General Letitia James, and a coalition of cities and counties.
- What
- They are suing the federal government to block a new public charge immigration rule.
- When
- The rule is scheduled to take effect on September 18.
- Where
- The coalition includes New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle.
- Why
- The coalition argues that the rule exceeds federal authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act.
Coalition Challenging the Rule
Federal Government Implementing the Rule
Authority and legality
Coalition Challenging the Rule
The coalition argues that the rule exceeds federal authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act.
Federal Government Implementing the Rule
The federal government has issued the rule and is set to implement it on September 18; the article does not state its response to the lawsuit.
Use of public-benefits information
Coalition Challenging the Rule
The coalition seeks to block expanded consideration of immigrants’ use of certain public benefits in application decisions.
Federal Government Implementing the Rule
The rule expands the criteria officials can consider when reviewing green card and visa applications.
- Lead plaintiffs
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Attorney General Letitia James
- Target
- The federal government
- Policy
- A new public charge immigration rule
- Effective date
- September 18
- Immigration decisions
- Green card and visa applications
- Coalition members
- New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle
- Legal claims
- The coalition alleges the rule exceeds federal authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act