25 States Sue Trump Over SNAP Suspension: Millions of Americans Could Lose Food Aid Amid Shutdown
Millions of low-income Americans are staring at a food
crisis this November — and 25 states are taking the Trump administration to
court over it.
A coalition of 25 states and Washington, D.C. has
filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
claiming the agency unlawfully suspended SNAP benefits — the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps — during
the ongoing government shutdown.
What’s happening
According to the lawsuit, the USDA announced it will not
issue November SNAP payments because of the shutdown. That means nearly 42
million Americans who depend on this program could lose access to essential
food benefits starting November 1.
The suit, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, argues
that the decision violates federal law. The USDA is legally required to
continue providing benefits as long as it has funding — and the plaintiffs say
it does. The agency reportedly has over $6 billion in contingency funds
that Congress already approved, enough to cover all or most of the November
benefits.
“The USDA’s claim that the SNAP contingency funds can’t be
used during an appropriation lapse is contrary to the law,” the states argue.
Who’s suing
The case is led by New York Attorney General Letitia
James, with support from states including California, Massachusetts,
Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, and others.
The coalition says the Trump administration’s refusal to release funds
threatens to make millions food insecure and could devastate local economies
that depend on SNAP spending.
Why this matters
The stakes are enormous. SNAP helps feed more than 22
million residents across these suing states alone. A lapse in funding could
cause a ripple effect: food retailers could lose billions, local economies
could shrink, and states could face rising costs for emergency services like
food pantries and shelters.
State leaders warned that ending SNAP aid — even briefly —
would lead to hunger, malnutrition, and long-term health problems,
especially for children. “Shutting off SNAP benefits will cause deterioration
of public health and well-being,” the lawsuit says.
Trump administration’s stance
The Trump administration, through Agriculture Secretary Brooke
Rollins, said it plans to save the $5 billion contingency fund for
natural disaster relief rather than SNAP benefits. The Office of Management and
Budget has so far declined to comment.
What’s next
The lawsuit, now before Judge Indira Talwani in the
U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, seeks an emergency order forcing
the USDA to release contingency funds immediately to prevent a lapse in food
aid. A hearing is scheduled this week to decide whether the administration must
act before November 1.
Meanwhile, the USDA’s official website simply says, “The
well has run dry.”
The bottom line
If the court doesn’t intervene, millions of Americans
could lose access to food assistance within days, marking the first time in
history that SNAP benefits would be delayed due to a government shutdown.
The states’ message is clear: “You can’t balance politics
on the backs of hungry families.”
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