Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced today that the state has joined a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia in filing a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit seeks to block a new 2026 rule that expands the definition of a public charge, allowing immigration officers to deny green cards to applicants who, or whose U.S. citizen family members, use government assistance programs such as Medicaid or food support.
Expanded public‑charge definition
The rule broadens the earlier 2022 guidance, which limited public‑charge considerations to cash assistance and long‑term institutional nursing care. Under the new policy, nearly any public benefit—temporary or permanent, and even benefits used by a citizen relative—can be weighed against a green‑card applicant. Plaintiffs argue the regulation lacks clear standards for which benefits count and how much usage triggers a denial.
Coalition of states
The legal action was filed by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Oregon, along with the governor of Pennsylvania and a local government coalition led by New York City. The filing claims the rule was adopted without a reasonable basis, exceeds the authority of the Department of Homeland Security, and abandons the public‑charge standard set by Congress decades ago.
Oregon’s prior challenge
Oregon previously contested a similar public‑charge rule during the first Trump administration in 2019. That effort resulted in a district‑court ruling against the policy, which was later upheld by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Rayfield said the current rule would “make our communities less healthy and less safe” and would “attack our neighbors and deny them access to critical services that they’re legally allowed to use.”
Projected impacts
Federal projections cited in the complaint warn that fear of immigration consequences could cause families to avoid public benefits. The filing argues that loss of health‑care coverage would lead to delayed care and higher emergency‑room costs for local hospitals. Reduced participation in Medicaid and food‑assistance programs could also cut funding for school‑meal programs and hurt local businesses that rely on benefit dollars.
Relief sought
The coalition is asking a federal judge to declare the 2026 public‑charge rule unlawful and to vacate the policy. The lawsuit underscores a broader clash between state leaders and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and the role of public assistance in the immigration system.
For more information, see the full filing on the Department of Justice website.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
