A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit brought by a group of states challenging the Trump administration’s “SAVE” program can proceed. The program, which stands for Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, is an initiative that requires state agencies to verify the immigration status of individuals seeking public benefits such as Medicaid and SNAP.
The lawsuit, filed by a coalition of states including California, New York, and Illinois, argues that the SAVE program creates an undue burden on state agencies and discriminates against lawful immigrants. The states also claim that the program violates the Tenth Amendment, which reserves certain powers for the states.
In his ruling, Judge John Doe of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found that the states had standing to bring the lawsuit and that their claims were not barred by the doctrine of sovereign immunity. The judge also rejected the government’s argument that the case should be dismissed because the plaintiffs had not suffered any actual harm.
“The states have sufficiently alleged that the SAVE program places a burden on their ability to administer public benefits programs and that it interferes with their sovereign authority to determine eligibility for those benefits,” Judge Doe wrote in his ruling. “These are serious allegations that warrant further consideration.”
The ruling is a significant victory for the states, which have been challenging the Trump administration’s immigration policies in court for years. The lawsuit is just the latest in a series of legal battles between the states and the federal government over issues such as sanctuary cities, the travel ban, and the DACA program.
The states have hailed the ruling as a win for federalism and states’ rights. “This decision reaffirms the principle that states have the authority to administer their own public benefits programs without interference from the federal government,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
The Trump administration has not yet commented on the ruling, but it is likely to appeal the decision to a higher court. In the meantime, the lawsuit will proceed, and the states will have the opportunity to present their case in court.
Overall, the ruling in favor of the states is a significant development in the ongoing battle over immigration policy in the United States. It remains to be seen how the case will ultimately be resolved, but for now, the states have won an important victory in their fight against the SAVE program.
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