In a significant legal development, a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general has taken action against the Trump administration, challenging its decision to implement new USDA guidance that affects the eligibility of a large number of immigrants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This guidance, which was introduced under the provisions of the GOP-led Big Beautiful Bill, has sparked controversy and concern regarding its potential negative impact on food assistance programs for millions of beneficiaries across the United States.
The lawsuit, which seeks to block the USDA guidance, argues that the policy incorrectly classifies certain groups, including refugees and asylum seekers who have become lawful permanent residents, as ‘permanently ineligible’ for SNAP benefits. This has raised serious legal and political questions about the legality and intent of the new rules, with critics claiming that the guidance misinterprets the intent of the law and jeopardizes the stability of the program.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has been at the forefront of this legal challenge, has emphasized that the new guidance ‘blatantly misapplies the agency’s own regulations.’ He further criticized the implementation period, which only provided states with one day to adjust to the new rules, calling it an extremely short timeframe that could lead to significant disruptions for affected individuals and communities.
With over 40 million Americans relying on SNAP benefits, the lawsuit highlights the potential financial and social consequences of these changes, arguing that they threaten to destabilize the program nationwide and create further challenges for low-income families, especially in states where the number of affected individuals is estimated to be in the thousands.