New Yorkers have finally started receiving their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the month of November, but there’s still some ongoing confusion and uncertainty as the U.S. Department of Agriculture is attempting to pull back the already distributed funds.
New York Attorney General Letitia James joined several other attorneys general and anti-hunger advocates in a news conference on Monday, Nov. 10 to discuss what is happening with SNAP nationwide, including the approval of a Temporary Restraining Order against the Trump administration’s “attempts to claw back SNAP benefits.”
The group of 23 attorneys general and three governors argued that a letter sent to states by the USDA on Saturday, Nov. 8 violated the Administrative Procedure Act “by reversing course without explanation, ignoring states’ needs and obligations and demanding the impossible − ordering states to “undo” benefits already loaded onto families’ EBT cards.”
“The Trump administration has been relentless in its effort to keep food off of Americans’ plates, but once again a court has stepped in to stop them,” James said in a news release. “This order ensures that families can keep the food assistance they need and that states won’t be punished for doing their jobs.”
Here’s the latest.
What is SNAP?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is a federal program that provides low-income families monthly benefits in order to afford healthy food. Over 40 million Americans rely on these benefits, including nearly three million New Yorkers.
Why is the USDA freezing SNAP funding?
It’s due to the government shutdown, which is now the longest in U.S. history, and it’s the first time a federal administration has stopped food assistance during a government shutdown.
Republicans are pushing to extend current funding levels through a stopgap solution, while Democrats are fighting for changes to healthcare access and subsidies, including additional healthcare funding, to overturn previously approved cuts in Medicaid funding and to extend tax credits for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
An end to the federal shutdown may be in the near future, though.
A group of moderate Democrats defected from the rest of the party on Sunday, voting to move toward advancing a funding agreement that could reopen the government as soon as this week. The agreed-to deal would reopen the government until Jan. 30 and include full-year funding for several agencies and programs. However, it may take several days to pass the House of Representatives to pass any Senate bills.
How did we get here?
It has been a tumultuous couple of weeks for all involved in SNAP as the USDA and the Trump administration have delivered mixed messages about the program and its funding. Here’s a timeline of SNAP-related events as of Nov. 10.
Can I use my SNAP benefits in New York now?
Yes, you can, according to Attorney General James.
And if any SNAP-approved businesses stop you from using your benefits, James says to let her office know by filing a complaint here.
The attorney general has also sent cease-and-desist letters to several grocery stores who have denied New Yorkers the ability to use their SNAP benefits to pay for food in recent weeks, including grocery chains ShopRite and Hannaford.
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: SNAP uncertainty lingers as New Yorkers finally get November benefits. Here’s the latest
Reporting by Emily Barnes, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
