(WNY News Now) – A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds to keep SNAP benefits flowing during the shutdown, marking a major legal victory for New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of states.
NEW YORK — New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a significant court victory after a federal judge ruled that the federal government must use its contingency funds to continue the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing shutdown.
The ruling came after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicated it would suspend November SNAP benefits, a move the court found likely unlawful. The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts directed the administration to use contingency resources to ensure there is no disruption to food assistance for millions of Americans. The government must report back by Monday, November 3, outlining how it will execute SNAP benefits using the designated funds.
“Millions of families rely on SNAP — or food stamps — to survive,” said Attorney General James. “The administration tried to use the shutdown as an excuse to withhold food assistance from vulnerable Americans, but the court has made clear that the law requires those benefits to continue. The federal government cannot simply walk away from its obligation to feed the people it serves. We will keep fighting until every family in New York and across the nation can put food on the table.”
Earlier this week, Attorney General James and a coalition of 25 attorneys general and governors filed suit against USDA, arguing that the agency’s decision to halt SNAP payments violated federal law. The coalition pointed out that Congress had already appropriated billions of dollars in a contingency fund specifically to keep SNAP running during funding lapses. Without intervention, they warned, millions of low-income households could lose the assistance they depend on to buy food.
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