“Millions of Americans are about to go hungry because the federal government has chosen to withhold food assistance it is legally obligated to provide,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.
Dozens of states have filed a lawsuit demanding that the Trump administration release SNAP benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown.
According to CBS News, more than half the states in country, along with the District of Columbia, have banded together in suing the Trump administration. The plaintiffs in the complaint include the attorneys general of California, New York, and Pennsylvania. Together, they are asking a Massachusetts-based federal court to order the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, through November.
In court filings, the attorneys general say that the administration’s decision to cut SNAP through the shutdown is unlawful and will likely deprive millions of Americans essential food benefits.
“Shutting off SNAP benefits will cause deterioration of public health and well-being,” the lawsuit alleges. “Ultimately, the States will bear costs associated with many of these harms. The loss of SNAP benefits leads to food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition, which are associated with numerous negative health outcomes in children, such as poor concentration, decreased cognitive function, fatigue, depression, and behavioral problems.”
Last week, the Trump administration announced that, should the government shutdown persist into November, it will not release SNAP benefits; the U.S. Department of Agriculture refused to use an estimated $5 billion in contingency funds to ensure that benefits remain active and are disbursed to recipients on the first of the month.
In a politically-charged statement, the Agriculture Department blamed congressional Democrats for failing to cooperate with the Trump administration. On its website, the agency wrote that “the well has run dry,” and it either cannot or will not step up to cover gaps in funding.
“We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” an agency spokesperson said of the lawsuit. “Continue to hold out for the Far-Left wing of the party or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments.”
CBS News notes that, as recently as September, the Agriculture Department said that contingency funds could be used to cover state-administrative expenses, allowing SNAP operations to continue through the shutdown. Last week, though, the agency reversed course, saying that “contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits” and are instead earmarked for use during disasters.
The attorneys general claim that the department’s about-face is not only unlawful but represents a “dramatic change” in the agency’s internal policy.
“Millions of Americans are about to go hungry because the federal government has chosen to withhold food assistance it is legally obligated to provide,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. “SNAP is one of our nation’s most effective tools to fight hunger, and the USDA has the money to keep it running. There is no excuse for this administration to abandon families who rely on SNAP, or food stamps, as a lifeline. The federal government must do its job to protect families.”
Sources
25 states sue Trump administration over SNAP food stamp freeze during shutdown
Half of US states sue Trump administration over halting food stamps
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