Illinois, 25 other states sue Trump administration over SNAP halt

ILLINOIS – Illinois has joined 25 other states in suing the Trump administration over its decision to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The shutdown began Oct. 1 after lawmakers failed to reach a funding agreement.

What we know:

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Tuesday that he joined a coalition of 26 attorneys general and governors in filing the lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins. The suit accuses the agency of unlawfully suspending SNAP, which helps more than 40 million Americans buy food.

While the federal government funds and sets the monthly allotment for SNAP benefits, states are responsible for administering the program.

On Oct. 10, the USDA warned state SNAP agencies that if the shutdown continued, it would not have sufficient funds to pay full November benefits. 

Two weeks later, on Oct. 24, the agency notified states that SNAP benefits would be suspended beginning Nov. 1, according to Raoul.

The lawsuit argues that the USDA’s claim of insufficient funds is false, noting the agency has access to billions in SNAP-specific contingency funds. It also claims the USDA has used emergency funds to support other programs during the shutdown but “has refused to fund SNAP.”

According to the filing, the suspension of benefits is “contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act.” The coalition also argues the USDA lacks authority to halt SNAP payments because Congress has already appropriated funding for the program.

The full lawsuit can be viewed below.

What’s next:

Raoul said he and other attorneys general plan to seek a temporary restraining order requiring the court to immediately restore SNAP benefits.

The lawsuit was also joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

Governors from Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania also signed on to the complaint.