Attorney General James Urges Supreme Court to Reject Federal Government’s Latest Attempt to Cut Off Food Assistance

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 25 other states today urged the Supreme Court to reject the federal government’s latest attempt to unlawfully deny tens of millions of Americans their full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. In an amicus brief to the Supreme Court, Attorney General James and the coalition urge the court to reject the federal government’s request to stay an order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island ordering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make full November SNAP benefits payments.

“This administration has repeatedly shown that it will stop at nothing to illegally cut off the assistance that more than 40 million Americans rely on to put food on the table,” said Attorney General James. “I will continue to fight this administration’s heartless attempts to deny New Yorkers and those across the country the SNAP benefits they are owed. Courts have repeatedly found that this administration must provide full SNAP benefits, and the Supreme Court should reject this administration’s cruel efforts to avoid doing so.”

In their brief, Attorney General James and the coalition urge the court to reject the federal government’s request for a stay blocking the Rhode Island District Court’s order to fully fund November SNAP benefits. Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the federal government has a duty under the law to provide full SNAP benefits, and that forcing states to administer partial benefits would cause chaos and confusion for state governments and SNAP recipients. In addition, granting the stay would severely harm their states’ residents who depend on SNAP benefits. Denying the more than 40 million people who rely on SNAP their full food assistance would cause prolonged food insecurity, significant health problems, and disrupt children’s education.

On Thursday, November 6, the district court in Rhode Island ordered USDA to immediately release full November SNAP benefits. On Friday, November 7, USDA notified states that full funding would be available imminently. Relying on the court order and the USDA’s own guidance, New York and other states began issuing full benefits. Later that evening, the administration sought and obtained a temporary administrative stay of the district court’s order from the Supreme Court, after several states had already transmitted their data to their SNAP vendors.

Then on Saturday, November 8, at 10 p.m., USDA issued another memo reversing its previous communication and baselessly claiming that any state’s release of full benefits was “unauthorized.” The agency ordered states to “immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025” and threatened to hold states financially liable if they failed to claw back benefits.

In a separate lawsuit, Attorney General James and the coalition sued the federal government on October 28 for withholding November SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown. On October 31, a federal court ruled in their favor, requiring USDA to use its contingency funds to at least partially fund benefits. On November 10, Attorney General James and the coalition secured a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s November 8 memo to claw back SNAP benefits and punish states that release them.

Joining Attorney General James in filing this brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania