States Sue Over Trump Administration Suspending Food Benefits During Shutdown

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: USA Today/Reuters

Oct. 28, 2025, at 12:11 p.m.


BOSTON (Reuters) -A coalition of Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to stop President Donald Trump's administration from suspending food aid benefits starting on November 1 amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.

Attorneys general and governors from 25 states and the District of Columbia filed the lawsuit in Boston federal court after the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would not use $6 billion in contingency funds to pay for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as food stamps.

Democrats and Republicans in Congress have traded blame for the shutdown and for the risk that SNAP benefits, which provide food assistance to more than 41 million low-income Americans, could lapse in November. The USDA's shutdown plan had included the potential use of contingency funds for SNAP, but on Saturday the department updated its website to say no benefits would be issued on November 1 as scheduled, stating "the well has run dry."

The lawsuit argues that the suspension of benefits is avoidable, arbitrary and is being carried out in violation of the Food and Nutrition Act, which requires that “assistance under this program shall be furnished to all eligible households." The plaintiffs, who are led by the attorneys general of Massachusetts, California, Arizona and Minnesota, say a failure by the federal government to issue monthly food assistance payments as a result of a lapse in appropriations would mark a first in the SNAP program's 60-year history.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2025-10-28/states-sue-over-trump-administration-suspending-food-benefits-during-shutdown

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Link to NY Attorney General PRESS RELEASE - Attorney General James[/b Sues Federal Government for Illegally Suspending SNAP Benefits During Shutdown]

Link to SUIT (PDF) - https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/commonwealth-of-massachusetts-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture-complaint-2025.pdf

[Marthe48]

1. City Council of Columbus, Oh

has put together emergency funding for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.

Wherever you are, if you can give any food at any level (share with family, hand it to someone, donate to a food bank, see what your church or organizations are doing, put a box of food items in front of your house or in the apt. common room). We have mini pantries in Marietta, take what you need, leave what you can. It is a good place to put a few things so someone isn't quite as hungry.

[mdbl]

2. So the red states don't give a shit?

Oh I forgot. All their poor and hungry should put on some boot straps or something moronic like that.

[NHvet]

5. Most of those states reversed child labor laws

just for this reason. put them kids to work to earn their keep. Kids wanting to eat got to have some skin in the game. /s

[Biophilic]

7. The republicans keep showing us who they are.

[paleotn]

8. They do not give a shit

If it were up to red states, kids would be pan handling, cleaning windshields at every traffic light like this is freaking Bangladesh.

[Tree Lady]

10. Some care but are afraid of Trump

Not going along with everything he wants you get primaried.

[mdbl]

13. Then they should resign

They are there to represent the people in their districts, not Dump.

[orangecrush]

3. Kick

[CountAllVotes]

4. K&R

& recommend !!

[JMCKUSICK]

6. Let's hope that works, I can't afford to live with

Good stamps, much less without.

[BlueHurricane]

9. Of course Virginia's AG Jason Miyares doesn't join the suit

He cares about Trump more than Virginians. He’s up for re-election and Jay Jones will do such a better job as AG.

[twodogsbarking]

11. Not exactly the same as attacking ships bringing aid in a war zone but damn similar.

[byronius]

12. My son is part of this.

Got a shout out from the California AG today at the press conference.

[NJCher]

14. What the AGs did is why I made this sign for protests:

This is my AG.