Mamdani vs Trump: NYC mayor sues over new rule targeting immigrant benefits

4 min readUpdated: Sep 15, 2026 02:33 PM IST

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks as the city challenges the Trump administration’s new public charge rule. (AP/File)

Zohran Mamdani has accused the US federal government of a ‘campaign of violence and terror’ against immigrant communities in the city. The New York City Mayor’s criticism came after six sanctuary jurisdictions, including NYC, challenged the Donald Trump administration’s changes to immigration rules.

Mamdani made the remarks on Monday while announcing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a new public charge rule that expands the range of public benefits immigration officials can consider when assessing whether an applicant is likely to become dependent on government assistance, according to Fox News.

“The federal government has waged a campaign of violence and terror,” Mamdani said.

He accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of targeting immigrant communities across New York City, including people’s homes, workplaces and schools.

“ICE has broken into our neighbors’ homes, work sites and schools. And it has targeted those who have come to our country in search of refuge and in search of opportunity. These actions are an assault on our civic fabric, on our shared values. And no matter how much destruction they have already caused, it continues,” Mamdani said.

Mamdani also highlighted the contribution of immigrants to New York City, saying people from different countries and backgrounds have helped build and maintain the city’s infrastructure and public services.

https://t.co/t0cfmmDwtX — Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) September 14, 2026

“Immigrants from every country, from every continent, who speak every language and worship in every conceivable way, drive our buses and our trains, teach our children how to read, and tend to us when we are sick,” he said.

“Immigrants fought for the 8-hour workday for fair pay and workplace protections that deliver dignity into the lives of so many,” he added.

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New York leads legal challenge to Trump administration

New York City is joining Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Santa Clara County and King County in challenging the administration’s revised public charge policy.

Fox News reported that the rule, issued in July by the Department of Homeland Security and US Citizenship and Immigration Services, is scheduled to take effect Friday.

Under the new policy, immigration officers will have greater discretion to consider noncash benefits such as Medicaid, SNAP and housing vouchers when deciding whether an immigrant could become a public charge.

The previous guidelines, introduced in 2022 during the Joe Biden administration, limited the assessment largely to whether applicants were likely to become “primarily dependent” on certain cash-based government assistance programmes, including Supplemental Security Income and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

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The White House has defended the new policy while criticising the lawsuits filed by New York and other jurisdictions.

“Extreme Democrats are once again fighting to give benefits to illegal aliens at the expense of American taxpayers. Immigrants must be able to support themselves and not depend on hard-working American taxpayers. President Trump and this administration will always put American citizens first,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said in a statement.

Mamdani, however, described the changes as a “gross illegality” and warned that they could discourage families from accessing essential public services.

“Make no mistake, this is an undisguised effort to strip New Yorkers of the services they rely on, the public benefits they are entitled to. Families, including those with children who are U.S. citizens, have already begun to forego essential services like SNAP, Medicaid, and affordable housing out of the fear that if they use these programs, immigration officers could use it as justification to deny them a future in our country,” he said.

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A USCIS spokesperson has said the administration’s policy is intended to protect US taxpayers and ensure that immigrants are able to support themselves financially.

“The Trump administration is upholding the rule of law and protecting American taxpayers from subsidizing aliens who may become dependent on public benefits. USCIS is committed to safeguarding the safety, security, and financial well-being of Americans,” spokesperson Zach Kahler said.