The so-called public charge rule, unveiled in August, impacts people who rely on public assistance, including most forms of Medicaid, food stamps and housing vouchers. The order was also issued while Chief Justice John Roberts was presiding over the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in the US Senate across the street from the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Noel Francisco appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to allow the rule to go into effect while the appeals process played out. They urged the Supreme Court to step in at an "appropriate juncture" to take up a case concerning the "rise" of nationwide injunctions. Impact of 'public charge' ruleThe "public charge" provision dates back at least to the Immigration Act of 1882.

Source: CNN January 27, 2020 18:46 UTC