Attorney General James Calls on Federal Government to Protect SNAP Benefits During Shutdown

October 24, 2025

NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James and 22 other attorneys general today called on the Trump administration to act immediately to protect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits while the federal government remains shut down. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers SNAP, Attorney General James and the coalition warn that the administration's directive to delay next month's SNAP benefits due to the shutdown could leave tens of millions of Americans without the resources they need to eat. They assert that USDA's directive, sent with no legal justification or explanation, risks devastating consequences for vulnerable communities and are urging the administration to use existing contingency funds to maintain benefits through the shutdown.

"No family should go hungry because of dysfunction in Washington," said Attorney General James. "SNAP benefits are a lifeline for millions of Americans, including children, veterans, and seniors, who rely on this assistance to put food on the table. The USDA has both the funds and the authority to keep these benefits flowing, and I am calling on the agency to act immediately. My office will always stand up for working families and hold the federal government accountable when it fails to meet its most basic obligations."

SNAP is the nation's largest anti-hunger program, providing critical assistance to low-income households to help them buy groceries and maintain food security. Nationwide, more than 42 million Americans depend on SNAP to feed themselves and their families. Children and seniors make up nearly 60 percent of all SNAP recipients, and well over a million veterans receive SNAP benefits each year. In New York, SNAP serves nearly three million people - individuals the Trump Administration now risks going hungry because of the federal government's reckless pause.

On October 10, USDA notified states that, if the government shutdown continues, the agency will not have sufficient funds to distribute November SNAP benefits. The USDA instructed all states to delay issuing benefits or sending files to vendors, writing that it was "exploring contingency plans" in case the shutdown was not resolved. In their letter, Attorney General James and the coalition stress that a contingency plan is urgently needed - and that, two weeks after USDA's initial letter, states have received no further guidance. The attorneys general request immediate clarification on the agency's legal authority and operational plan to prevent an interruption in benefits.

Attorney General James and the coalition emphasize that this "hold" on benefits is unnecessary. USDA has access to at least $6 billion in contingency funds appropriated by Congress for precisely this purpose, and the agency has previously acknowledged that those funds can be used to continue SNAP operations during lapses in appropriations. Despite this, USDA has not indicated how it plans to use these funds to protect families from losing access to food assistance.

Attorney General James and the coalition are calling on USDA to provide clarity by October 28, including detailed answers about whether the agency intends to use contingency funds to issue at least partial November benefits, and what legal authority it has relied upon in directing states to delay distributions.

Attorney General James and the coalition are calling on USDA to respond by October 28 with a clear explanation of its contingency plans, including whether the agency intends to use available funds to issue full or partial November benefits and what legal basis it relied upon in ordering states to delay distributions.

Joining Attorney General James in sending this letter are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.