Preliminary injunctions issued by federal judges in California and Washington against the “public charge” policy were stayed on Thursday by a divided three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The majority on the panel argued that the Trump administration has the legal authority to “broaden the definition of what constituted someone likely to become dependent on public assistance.” In essence, the “public charge” rule limits the immigration benefits available to immigrants who participate in government assistance programs. The ruling by the 9th Circuit has no impact on the decisions issued by judges in Maryland and New York City, who also blocked the “public charge” policy.
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