Attorney General James Wins Court Order Blocking Federal Attempt to Reclaim SNAP Benefits
- Staff Report
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
NEW YORK —New York Attorney General Letitia James secured an emergency court order temporarily halting the Trump administration’s effort to retract Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits already released to millions of Americans. The ruling, issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, blocks a last-minute directive from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that ordered states to “immediately undo” SNAP payments made for November.
The order follows a week of shifting federal guidance that left state agencies scrambling. The USDA had previously instructed states that full November benefits would soon be funded, prompting New York and others to distribute them. But late Saturday night, November 8, the agency reversed its position, calling the benefits “unauthorized” and threatening to penalize states that failed to claw them back.
Attorney General James and a coalition of 24 other attorneys general and three governors filed an emergency motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in response. The court’s decision prevents the federal government from enforcing its clawback order until a full hearing is held.
“The Trump administration has been relentless in its effort to keep food off Americans’ plates, but once again a court has stepped in to stop them,” said James. “This order ensures that families can keep the food assistance they need and that states won’t be punished for doing their jobs.”
The legal dispute stems from the administration’s handling of SNAP funding during the ongoing government shutdown. After a series of conflicting USDA memos between November 6 and 8, states were left uncertain about whether distributing full benefits would be lawful. The attorneys general argued that the USDA’s abrupt reversals violated the Administrative Procedure Act and created operational “chaos” that jeopardized food access for millions.
As of November 9, New Yorkers have begun receiving their SNAP benefits on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. The Attorney General’s office confirmed that those benefits remain valid and urged recipients to use them as usual. Retailers are reminded they are legally required to accept SNAP payments for eligible purchases.
A hearing on the full motion is scheduled later today.
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