Immigrant advocacy organizations and Democratic state officials moved on Friday to challenge new immigration guidance issued by the Trump administration that broadens the criteria for denying visas and green cards to applicants deemed likely to rely on public benefits. The Department of Homeland Security announced the guidance earlier this week.

The rule revives and expands the "public charge" doctrine, directing officers to weigh an applicant's likely use of programmes such as Medicaid and nutrition assistance more heavily in admissibility decisions. The administration framed the measure as restoring "self-reliance" to the immigration system.

The National Immigration Law Center and the American Civil Liberties Union signalled they were reviewing legal options. State attorneys general in California and New York indicated they would examine grounds for a challenge. Similar Trump-era rules were tied up in federal courts before being rescinded under the Biden administration.

Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee praised the change as a return to longstanding principles of fiscal responsibility. Critics warned it would deter eligible immigrant families from seeking healthcare and food aid for which they qualify.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the guidance was consistent with federal statute and would withstand legal scrutiny. Advocacy lawyers said they expected to file for injunctive relief in the coming weeks if the policy took effect.