James Sues USDA Over SNAP Benefit Cuts

NEW YORK – The federal government is deliberately starving its own citizens. That’s the charge leveled today by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who, alongside 24 other state leaders and the District of Columbia, filed suit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for illegally suspending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amidst the ongoing federal shutdown. The move threatens to leave over 40 million Americans, including nearly three million New Yorkers, facing hunger.

The lawsuit alleges the administration’s refusal to issue November SNAP payments is a blatant violation of federal law. Attorney General James and the coalition argue the USDA has access to billions – at least $6 billion – in contingency funds *specifically* earmarked by Congress to prevent exactly this scenario. The USDA initially promised to utilize these funds, then abruptly reversed course, ordering states to halt payments starting November 1st. This isn’t a bureaucratic oversight; it’s a conscious decision to deprive vulnerable families of a lifeline.

“Millions of Americans are about to go hungry because the federal government has chosen to withhold food assistance it is legally obligated to provide,” Attorney General James stated bluntly. “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.”

The scale of the potential crisis is staggering. Nationwide, over 42 million Americans depend on SNAP, with children and seniors comprising nearly 60% of recipients. Over a million veterans rely on the program. In New York, SNAP serves almost three million people, including nearly one million children and over 600,000 older adults. Approximately 7% of New York SNAP recipients are disabled. Last year, New Yorkers received roughly $650 million in SNAP benefits *each month*. This isn’t about handouts; it’s about basic survival.

This is unprecedented. In SNAP’s 60-year history, benefits have never been suspended due to a funding lapse. Even during the 2018-2019 shutdown under the Trump administration, SNAP benefits continued to flow, utilizing the very contingency funds the USDA is now refusing to touch. On October 10th, the USDA told states to “hold” payments. Two weeks later, the order to suspend benefits went out. The lawsuit demands immediate court intervention, forcing the USDA to access its contingency funds and restore this vital food assistance.

Attorney General James and the coalition aren’t just pointing fingers; they’re demanding accountability. They highlight the catastrophic consequences this decision will have on millions of families and the nationwide exacerbation of food insecurity. The coalition previously wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rol on October 27th, urging a reversal of course, a plea that went unanswered. Now, they’re taking the fight to the courts, hoping to force the USDA to fulfill its legal obligation and prevent a humanitarian disaster.

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