Attorney General Bonta Blocks Trump Administration's Cruel Effort to Restrict Access to Public Benefit Programs

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, alongside a multistate coalition, secured a final court order blocking the Trump Administration's cruel restrictions on access to public benefit programs based on immigration status. At-risk programs included Head Start, childcare services for low-income families, adult education, mental health and substance use disorder programs, and shelters for underserved youth and domestic violence survivors. In today's summary judgment order, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island found that the restrictions on public benefit programs violated the Administrative Procedure Act and enjoined various federal agencies from implementing these restrictions.

"With today's decision, families across California can breathe a little easier," said Attorney General Bonta. "The Trump Administration's heartless anti-immigration campaign has created real fear and confusion among immigrant families and families nationwide. These families would only be worse off if its cruel restrictions on programs like Head Start went into effect. Today, we mark another win for working families and the rule of law. We will continue to fight to protect access to essential programs that deliver childcare, healthcare, nutrition, and education assistance - and defend against future overreach by this administration."

Since 1997, the federal government has interpreted The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) to permit states' use of federal funds for certain programs that serve communities based on need regardless of immigration status. These programs work precisely because there are few barriers. This includes services such as:

• The Head Start Program, which is designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing young children from families with low incomes a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and educational needs.
• Short-term shelter or housing assistance for people who are unhoused, for survivors of domestic violence, or for at-risk youth.
• Soup kitchens, community food banks, senior nutrition programs such as Meals on Wheels, and other such community nutritional services for persons requiring special assistance.
• Medical and public health services (including treatment and prevention of diseases and injuries) and mental health, disability, or substance use treatment services.

In July 2025, Attorney General Bonta joined a multistate coalition in suing the Trump Administration over its abrupt decision to restrict access to more than a dozen public benefit programs based on immigration status. In September 2025, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition secured a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, Department of Justice, and Department of Education from implementing various program notices. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsequently issued its own notice attempting to apply eligibility restrictions to various affordable housing programs, and in December 2025, the multistate coalition added HUD and its Secretary as defendants in their litigation, and subsequently secured an agreement with HUD to stay enforcement of its agency notice until the district court issued a final merits judgment on the lawsuit.

Attorney General Bonta is committed to standing up for California's immigrant communities. Earlier this month, he sued to block the Trump Administration's new rule dramatically expanding the ability of immigration officials to use participation in public benefits programs as grounds to deny lawful permanent residency. He previously issued guidance to help California immigrants better understand their rights and protections under the law and avoid immigration scams. You can find more on the California Department of Justice's work to protect California immigrants at oag.ca.gov/immigrant.