New York Attorney General Letitia James is leading a 21-state coalition in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, seeking to stop new federal rules that would cut off SNAP food assistance for tens of thousands of lawful permanent residents.
The suit announced on Wednesday challenges recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that excludes refugees, asylees and other legal immigrants from receiving benefits even after they have secured green cards.
The coalition argues that the policy is unlawful, oversteps federal authority and threatens to punish states with severe financial penalties unless they rapidly impose the restrictions.
“The federal government’s shameful quest to take food away from children and families continues,” James said in a statement.
They warn that the guidance could cause lasting harm to families and communities, especially those who rely on SNAP as their primary source of support.
Issued on Oct. 31, the USDA memo attempts to reinterpret changes under the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, claiming that anyone who entered the country under humanitarian protections would remain permanently ineligible for SNAP, even once they become lawful permanent residents.
The attorneys general say this is far beyond what Congress intended and directly contradicts federal law, which clearly makes refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees and others eligible once they meet program standards.
The lawsuit also points out that USDA’s own rules guarantee states a 120-day grace period to update their systems before facing penalties.
Instead, the agency claims that window expired just one day after the memo was released, on a weekend and during a federal shutdown, making compliance impossible and the guidance legally indefensible.
States have already begun adjusting to the statutory changes, but the sudden directive now forces them to overhaul their systems immediately.
Officials warn it could destabilize SNAP nationwide, lead to wrongful terminations and create widespread confusion among families who depend on the program.
Under the new penalty structure, some states say the financial consequences could be so overwhelming they may be forced to shut down their SNAP programs altogether.
In New York, as many as 35,000 lawful permanent residents could lose their benefits, putting families at risk of hunger and pushing other safety-net services to the breaking point. The USDA policy also exposes the state to potential fines of up to $1.2 billion, draining resources from essential programs and placing monumental strain on local agencies.
After urging the federal government to withdraw and correct the memo last week and receiving no response, James and the coalition are now asking the court to strike down the guidance before it takes effect.
Joining New York in the lawsuit are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
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