The Trump administration says non-citizens have already been banned from receiving such services, and the change would save $40 billion. Supporters disagree.
Judges stop Trump’s control of birthright after Scotus limits the injunction
A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship order and restricted the nationwide injunction against the recent Scotus ruling.
A coalition of 21 Democrat Attorney Generals is suing the Trump administration over a new policy that would stop people living illegally in the United States from accessing Head Start and certain types of health care and housing support.
Democrat AG says change is putting health care and early childhood education at risk for millions of children and their parents. Most of them are American citizens. HeadStart serves more than 700,000 children and pregnant women each year, offering programs designed to help children from low-income families learn when they enroll in public schools.
“For decades, states like New York have built health, education and family support systems to serve those in need,” said longtime Trump critic New York Attorney General Letia James, who announced the lawsuit. “These programs work because they are open, accessible and compassion-based. Now, the federal government is pulling its foundation overnight, putting cancer screening, early childhood education, primary care and more at risk.
The AG is asking federal judges to block changes to rules before anyone loses service. They argue that checking citizenship can be a hassle for some small service providers, urging them to close rather than risk penalties for accidentally violating new rules.
The Trump administration argues that the law has always banned it from receiving such services, saying the new interpretation would save taxpayers $40 billion. Many federal programs, including what was previously known as food stamps, are already limited to citizens and legal residents only.
“For too long, the government has diverted taxes on hardworking Americans to encourage illegal immigration,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, in a July 10th statement, the day the new approach was announced. “Today’s actions will restore integrity to federal government social programs, implement the rule of law, and protect resources important to Americans.”
Advocates say the number of people losing services under the new rules remains unknown and could halt services in households with mixed immigration situations. Many of these programs currently do not seek immigration status.
HealthStart can see an estimated $374 million redirected nationwide. This could be made available to other Americans.
The move has been part of Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown, which has seen tighter borders and more aggressive detention and deportation of people living without permission from those living in the United States. Trump is also trying to remove birthright citizenship from children born to many immigrant families who are eligible for programs such as Head Start and Community Health Care today.
It was the Arizona Attorney General, California, Arizona, who participated in filing the lawsuit in New York. Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Road Island, Belmont, Washington, Wisconsin, Washington.
The Attorney General wrote: “For the first time, millions of people are facing new demand before they access the country’s most important programmes and ‘Show your papers’. ”
Many of the same Attorney Generals are also suing the Trump administration over reduced federal funding, withholding research grants, student visa changes, and the president’s plan to end birthright citizenship.
