States sue over citizenship curbs on Head Start, clinics
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Democratic attorneys general from 20 states and D.C. are suing the Trump administration over a policy change that restricted undocumented immigrants' access to community health centers, Head Start and other services they've used for decades.
The big picture: The AGs argue the changes put key social safety net programs at risk of closing.
- "Many programs cannot realistically conduct verification at the door, such as 24/7 crisis hotlines, emergency services for individuals suffering an overdose, and homeless shelters," the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island states.
- If the programs could verify status, many people who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents wouldn't be able to produce government ID, the AGs note.
The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration violated administrative law when it changed a longstanding interpretation of a Clinton-era law addressing which federal programs could and couldn't serve undocumented immigrants.
- It asks the judge to declare the policy change unconstitutional and halt its implementation.
- In addition to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the AGs are also suing the secretaries of education, justice and labor, whose departments released similar notices this month.
What they're saying: "For decades, states like New York have built health, education, and family support systems that serve anyone in need," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. "These programs work because they are open, accessible, and grounded in compassion."
- "This is a baseless attack on some of our country's most effective and inclusive public programs, and we will not let it stand," she added.
HHS referred Axios to its announcement of the policy change when asked for comment on the lawsuit.
- The news release says the policy change is necessary to ensure federal resources "no longer used to incentivize illegal immigration."
