Attorney General James Protects New Yorkers’ Full November SNAP Benefits

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after a federal judge granted a full temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the Trump administration from punishing states that issued full November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits:

“It should not take a court order to know that feeding kids is the right thing to do, yet the federal government continues its cruel effort to cut off food assistance. Anyone who seeks to punish others for feeding families is not on the right side of history. I am relieved that the courts have once again shut down this administration's pro-hunger crusade.”

Attorney General James and 25 other attorneys general and governors sued to protect SNAP on October 28. Last night, the coalition filed a motion for a TRO seeking to block a memo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that directed states to “immediately undo” the distribution of full November SNAP benefits and threatened to punish states that failed to comply.