New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Friday, Oct. 31, that her office had won a court ruling requiring the federal government to use SNAP contingency funds amid the federal government shutdown. The announcement comes as millions were at risk of losing their SNAP benefits from Nov. 1.

 

James said that her office secured the major win on Friday “in her fight to protect lifesaving food assistance for millions of Americans after a federal judge ruled that the federal government must use its contingency funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) running during the shutdown.”

 

She added that the court found that the administration’s decision to suspend SNAP benefits for November was likely unlawful and ordered the administration to report back by Monday on its plans to use contingency funding to execute November SNAP benefits.

 

“Millions of families rely on SNAP, or food stamps, to survive,” said James. “The administration tried to use the shutdown as an excuse to withhold food assistance from vulnerable Americans, but the court has made clear that the law requires those benefits to continue. The federal government cannot simply walk away from its obligation to feed the people it serves. We will keep fighting until every family in New York and across the nation can put food on the table.”

 

James and a coalition of 25 other attorneys general and governors sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) earlier this week after the agency announced that it would suspend November SNAP benefits because of the federal government shutdown. The coalition argued that the move was unlawful because USDA has billions of dollars in a congressionally appropriated contingency fund specifically set aside to ensure SNAP continues during funding lapses. They warned that without court intervention, millions of low-income families would lose the money they need to buy groceries.

 

In Friday’s order, officials from the attorney general’s office (OAG) said the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts held that USDA’s suspension of SNAP violated federal law, and that the agency is required to use its contingency funds or whatever resources are available to ensure there is no disruption to food assistance.

 

They said that while the court did not formally grant the temporary restraining order (TRO) sought by the states, it directed the federal government to take immediate steps to deploy funding and report its plan to the court by Monday, Nov. 3. They said that in a separate case, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted a nationwide TRO requiring the administration to restore SNAP benefits as soon as possible.

 

Reacting to the decision, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, “Today’s ruling that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits must be distributed as soon as possible is a breath of relief for so many New York families and for families across this country. These benefits are funded by our hard-earned money. We pay the federal government out of our tax dollars with the understanding that if we fall on hard times, there is a safety net in place so we and our children will not go hungry.”

He added, “Almost 3 million New Yorkers receive SNAP benefits. Of those, 30 percent are children, 21 percent are elderly and 10 percent are disabled. The Trump administration is using SNAP benefits and hunger as a political weapon during this government shutdown – denying food assistance in order to enact their agenda of cutting healthcare. This is patently cruel and needs to end.”

 

Earlier this week, nonprofits like Part of the Solution (POTS), based in Bedford Park and Fordham Manor, and others announced they were stepping up their efforts to help feed those in need amid the impending threat of a SNAP cut-off, while New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Thursday, Oct. 30, and announced millions in State emergency funding for food assistance.

 

In Norwood, the same day, kids in Halloween costumes and painted faces milled in and out of stores trick or treating. As one group of youngsters (not those pictured) entered Tasty Picks on East Gun Hill Road and Rochambeau Avenue to be told that a store employee was already outside with a bucket handing out candy, one young boy was overheard saying, “Please sir, my mom is kinda homeless.”

 

To read more on what is happening practically with SNAP, and where to obtain help from elected officials, click here.