California sues Trump for blocking undocumented immigration from welfare program

The coalition of California and other liberals sued the Trump administration on Monday, banning undocumented immigrants from accessing multiple federally-funded “public welfare” programs, arguing that restrictions limit mothers and their children that violate federal law.

President Trump and others in the administration defend the necessary restrictions on protecting the services of U.S. citizens, including veterans, and reduce incentives for illegal immigrants to enter the country.

One of the plans facing the new restrictions is the beginning, which provides nearly 700,000 low-income babies, toddlers and preschoolers for childcare, nutrition and health assistance.

Others include short-term shelters for homeless people, survivors of domestic violence and youth at risk; emergency shelter for people in extreme weather; soup kitchens, community food banks and food support services for the elderly, such as meals on wheels; medical services for people suffering from mental illness and substance abuse problems; and other adult education programs.

California. General Rob Bonta’s office said that states have been allowed to extend these programs to undocumented immigrant families since at least 1997, and the Trump administration’s “suddenly reversed nearly three decades of precedent” equals “brutality” and has inflicted expensive attacks on some of the nation’s most vulnerable residents.

“The latest Salvo in the President’s inhumane anti-immigration campaign was mainly done after moms and their children work,” Bonta said. “We’re not talking about waste, fraud and abuse, but about programs that provide basic parenting, health care, nutrition and education assistance that have been opened to everyone.”

The lawsuit filed by California along with 19 other states and the District of Columbia not only initiates new restrictions in a “arbitrary and capricious” way, but does not properly notify states, and causes hundreds of millions of dollars in damage each year.

“Requiring plans to spend resources to implement systems and train employees to verify citizenship or immigration status will impose a time and resource burden on plans that have already worked to operate on narrow financial margins,” Bonta’s office said.

It also said that the impact of California’s change will be “destructive” compared to other states.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement Monday that Trump “is based on his commitment to put Americans first, and that’s exactly what this administration is committed to doing.”

“Many of our Americans rely on aid from government and federally funded resources to get back on their feet,” Jackson said. “When illegal foreigners use these resources, they are urgently needed, and they are urgently needed.”

The states’ claims run counter to the arguments of Trump, his administration and other anti-immigration advocates that expanding interests to undocumented immigration encourages illegal immigrants to enter the country, making money lost to U.S. taxpayers and making it harder for U.S. citizens to access services.

About a month after taking office, Trump issued an executive order titled “End taxpayer subsidies for open border subsidies,” he said his administration will “maintain the rule of law, defend against waste of hard-won taxpayer resources, and protect the welfare of U.S. citizens in need, including people with disabilities and veterans.”

The order requires the head of federal agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of their welfare programs and limit access to undocumented immigrants, in part because “preventing taxpayer resources from acting as magnets and cheering illegal immigrants in the United States.”

Trump cited the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Job Opportunity Reconciliation Act as a clear restriction for non-citizens participating in federally funded welfare programs and accused past administrations of undermining the law’s “principles and restrictions.”

Past governments have provided exemptions for the law to allow immigrants to access certain “life or safety” programs, including those now against the new restrictions.

In response to Trump’s orders, various federal agencies, including health and public services, labor, education and agriculture, announced their reinterpretation of the 1996 law earlier this month, reinterpreting it as excluding more programs, including plans with previous exemptions.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, hard-working U.S. taxpayers will no longer participate in our career, technical or adult education programs or activities for illegal foreigners,” said Linda McMahon, Education Secretary.

“By ensuring these programs meet their intended purpose, we are protecting high-paying jobs for American workers and reaffirming the government’s commitment to secure our borders and ending illegal immigration,” said Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer.

The Ministry of Agriculture also said it would impose new restrictions on the benefits of undocumented immigrants, including under the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. However, state litigation does not challenge the Department of Agriculture, noting that “many USDA programs comply with independent statutory requirements to provide certain benefits programs to all, regardless of citizenship,” the department’s notice will continue to apply.

Joining Bonta to file lawsuits are areas of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Jersey, New Jersey, New Mexico, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Oregon, Oregon, Vermont, Vermont, Washington, and Cruick.

National Head Start Ass. Executive Director Yasmina Vinci said her organization was not involved in the lawsuit, but “interested in following it.”

“Head Start has a bipartisan support and successful raising healthier children, safer communities, more parents work and contributions, and fewer families needing public assistance,” Vinci said. “Given everything all seats do to the youngest learners in the country and their future, there are no good reason to make it harder for children to get life-changing opportunities.”

Times worker Jenny Gold contributed to the report.