Graham v. Richardson

Arizona required welfare recipients to be U.S. citizens or have resided in the country for at least fifteen years, denying benefits to lawfully admitted resident alien Richardson (plaintiff) for failing the residency requirement; Pennsylvania required citizenship outright, denying benefits to lawfully admitted resident alien Leger (plaintiff). Both sued state welfare officials (defendants), arguing the requirements violated equal protection; the district courts ruled for the plaintiffs, and the consolidated appeals reached the Supreme Court.