New York Attorney General Sues to Resume Food Stamp Payouts Amid Government Shutdown
A federal lawsuit filed by New York's Attorney General Letitia James aims to force the Trump administration to continue paying food stamp benefits for millions of Americans next week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), plans to pause payments on Saturday and will not use contingency funds to cover costs.
James' office argues that the USDA is legally required to utilize these emergency funds to make monthly payments as long as it has sufficient funding. "There is no excuse for this administration to abandon families who rely on SNAP, or food stamps, as a lifeline," she said in a statement. "The federal government must do its job to protect families."
In the lawsuit, James joined 24 other states and Washington D.C. in filing against the USDA's decision. The attorneys general claim that Congress has specifically appropriated money for continued benefits during funding lapses. New York alone receives $650 million in SNAP benefits every month, with about 1.8 million people in the city relying on the program.
The state of New York has already taken steps to mitigate the impact, expediting $41 million in grant funding for food pantries. However, Governor Kathy Hochul acknowledged that the federal budget cannot cover the gap left by the administration's decision.
Critics blame Senate Democrats for the standoff, calling it an "inflection point" as they demand a resolution to reopen the government and ensure timely benefits for vulnerable populations like mothers and babies.
The dispute highlights the consequences of the ongoing government shutdown on low-income families relying on SNAP. With the federal program poised to pause payments, many are bracing for an uncertain future where food insecurity could worsen.
A federal lawsuit filed by New York's Attorney General Letitia James aims to force the Trump administration to continue paying food stamp benefits for millions of Americans next week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), plans to pause payments on Saturday and will not use contingency funds to cover costs.
James' office argues that the USDA is legally required to utilize these emergency funds to make monthly payments as long as it has sufficient funding. "There is no excuse for this administration to abandon families who rely on SNAP, or food stamps, as a lifeline," she said in a statement. "The federal government must do its job to protect families."
In the lawsuit, James joined 24 other states and Washington D.C. in filing against the USDA's decision. The attorneys general claim that Congress has specifically appropriated money for continued benefits during funding lapses. New York alone receives $650 million in SNAP benefits every month, with about 1.8 million people in the city relying on the program.
The state of New York has already taken steps to mitigate the impact, expediting $41 million in grant funding for food pantries. However, Governor Kathy Hochul acknowledged that the federal budget cannot cover the gap left by the administration's decision.
Critics blame Senate Democrats for the standoff, calling it an "inflection point" as they demand a resolution to reopen the government and ensure timely benefits for vulnerable populations like mothers and babies.
The dispute highlights the consequences of the ongoing government shutdown on low-income families relying on SNAP. With the federal program poised to pause payments, many are bracing for an uncertain future where food insecurity could worsen.
24 states are standing up for their constituents, that takes some serious guts. let's hope this lawsuit actually makes a difference and SNAP benefits get resumed ASAP 
. It's like they're saying "forget about it" to families who really need this lifeline 
. Governor Hochul is right, the federal budget shouldn't have a gap that big 
. Can't we all just get along and make sure everyone has access to basic necessities? 
anyway back to this food stamp thing... I feel bad for the ppl relying on it but have u ever noticed how expensive bread is lately? 
5 bucks a loaf? what's up with that? we need to talk about something more interesting than gov't shutdowns 
And don't even get me started on the Senate Democrats, they should be ashamed of themselves for playing politics with people's lives. I mean, come on, we need to take care of our own, especially the vulnerable ones like moms and babies! 
It's not right that some people are willing to sacrifice others just to get ahead in their careers. I swear, sometimes I feel like we've lost all sense of empathy in this country... 
] USDA says: "Famine in progress! 
" Meanwhile, AG Letitia James is all like... [Image of Letitia James with a determined expression and a "Justice for Food Stamps" t-shirt ]
[GIF of a clock ticking away, with a red X marked through it 
] Don't @ me, I'm just saying, food stamps are NOT optional 
. lets get to the bottom of this & make sure these families dont go hungry 
The fact that 24 states are banded together to fight this is a step in the right direction, but it's still kinda frustrating that we're here.
It feels like they're just playing politics instead of doing their job. I get it, there are disagreements, but when you've got people counting on these benefits, can't you find a way to work around this? 
The impact on low-income families is gonna be huge if this goes through... not sure what the solution is at this point 
. I mean, can't they just use some of that extra money to make sure everyone gets what they need? It's like they're trying to forget about all the people who are struggling already 
. And it's not just New York, it's all over the country 
. I feel so bad for those families who are going to be affected by this 
she's all about protecting those families who need SNAP the most. And 24 other states are backing her up too, that's awesome! 
I mean, Congress has funds set aside for these situations, so why can't they use them? It makes no sense at all 
this is so unfair 
governor Hochul is right, this budget gap is huge 
needs more $$ $$$ or else 
. the gov't should b doing more to help ppl in need, not makin it harder for them 
. lets hope this lawsuit wins & food stamp payouts continue 
I mean, it's not like they're asking for much, just some basic human decency. But then again, maybe this is exactly what happens when you have too much bureaucracy and not enough common sense... ugh, my head hurts trying to wrap my brain around all this 
. I mean, think about it, lots of people rely on those food stamps just to get by. It's not like they're asking for a free ride or anything. And now the government is just gonna stop paying them? That's just cruel 
. We need to keep pushing for solutions and not just sit back and wait for someone else to fix it. We can do better, NY! 
.