Sacramento, CA – The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) of California issued the following statement from Executive Director Carlos Marquez III today on the Trump Administration’s publication of new rules expanding the definition of “public charge” in immigration law.  

“Today, the Trump administration published a renewed attempt to vastly expand the definition of ‘public charge’ in immigration law, upending decades of policy that placed clear limits on officials’ consideration of the use or even potential for future use of public benefits when determining whether immigrants are eligible for an adjustment of status in the US. The rule is scheduled to take effect 60 days following publication, on September 18, 2026.

“Particularly troubling is that the rule itself is vague and defers to forthcoming guidance by the Department of Homeland Security. The preamble of the rule, although not legally binding, suggests several vast expansions of current policy that will harm families and communities, including to consider any means-tested federal, state, or county benefit as part of the public charge test, the use of benefits by dependent family members, and no time limit on the look back period of prior benefit use. The administration has made clear that the intent to expand the public charge test is expressly to discourage immigrant and mixed-status families from accessing public benefits, noting they anticipate a reduction in the use of federal benefits by eligible recipients by $2 billion to $13 billion. 

“CWDA continues to condemn these attempts to divide our communities and undermine our values, and affirm that immigrants are vital to the fabric of California and the nation. We applaud the clear response by Secretary Johnson and Attorney General Bonta, and will work with state leaders and partners to vigorously oppose this rulemaking.”

CWDA’s public comments in opposition to the Trump Administration’s prior attempt to change the public charge test and undermine public benefit access can be viewed here.

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