The Donald Trump public charge rule took effect on Friday, 18 September, for covered admission and adjustment applications across the United States. President Trump's administration is defending the framework against multiple federal lawsuits filed in New York. The disputes focus on how much discretion immigration officers may use when deciding whether applicants are likely to become a public charge.
The Department of Homeland Security published the final rule on 20 July. It rescinds the 2022 framework and restores broader discretion under the public charge ground of inadmissibility. It applies to admission applications made from 18 September and adjustment applications filed from that date.
