Immigrants’ rights advocates across New York urged noncitizen families to seek legal advice, following a Supreme Court ruling that temporarily lifted the last remaining nationwide block to the federal government’s “public charge” rule charge, according to Queens Daily Eagle. The rule change could deny residency to some immigrants who have used, or are eligible for, public assistance for food, housing and healthcare, but experts say that individuals and families should consult with a legal advocate before assuming the rule applies to them.

“We have been fighting to see that this rule never goes into effect, but now that it is, if even for a brief time, it is critical that immigrants and their families making decisions about using public benefits consult legal advocates who understand the rule before assuming it applies to them,” said Susan Welber, a staff attorney in the Civil Practice Law Reform Unit at the Legal Aid Society, who represents plaintiffs in one challenge.