Attorney General Letitia James, spearheading a group of 21 attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration's attempt to scale back SNAP benefits for lawful permanent residents. The legal action, reported by the Attorney General's press office, aims to block new guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would render various legal immigrants, including asylum seekers and refugees, ineligible for food aid.
According to the New York Attorney General's Office, this move by the USDA could impose significant financial penalties on states if they don't implement these changes post-haste. As argued by the lawsuit, the federal rule usually grants a 120-day window to states for adjusting their systems in accordance with new guidelines before penalties kick in, but the USDA's timeline—claiming this period expired the day following the guidance release—ignores practicality and the federal shutdown occurring at the same time.
Concurrently, the controversial guidance seems to be based on the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which narrowed SNAP eligibility for non-citizen groups. However, it goes beyond the statute's boundaries by stipulating that said humanitarian entrants would be perpetually barred from SNAP after securing their green cards, a position refuted by the attorneys general as unsupported by federal law.
In a scenario where compliance with the USDA's directive is mandated, New York stands to cut off SNAP benefits for approximately 35,000 lawful permanent residents, as Attorney General James told Ny.gov. This could trigger an immediate crisis, increasing hardship and serving a mighty blow to the state's food assistance network. Moreover, New York could face fines up to $1.2 billion, an impact deemed catastrophic by the lawsuit.
The attorneys general are urging the court to dismiss the USDA's guidance to avert the potential disruption of SNAP aid to families. They have also called on the federal administration to retract the memo, a request that has yet to see a response. Joining New York in this lawsuit are the attorneys general from states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, and others, signifying a nationwide resistance against the USDA's decision.
