California Leads 20 States Suing Trump Admin Over SNAP Benefits Suspension Amid Shutdown

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have sued President Trump's administration, along with 20 other states, for allegedly unlawfully withholding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the government shutdown despite available contingency funds. The USDA announced it would pause SNAP payments starting November 1, blaming Democrats for the ongoing shutdown, while states argue the agency has the legal authority and funds to continue payments. Bonta highlighted that this is the first time since SNAP's permanent establishment in the 1960s that benefits have been withheld during a shutdown, accusing the administration of breaking the law by refusing to use billions in contingency funds meant for such crises. New York Attorney General Letitia James also joined the multi-state lawsuit, emphasizing the federal government's obligation to protect vulnerable families from hunger by disbursing SNAP benefits. The USDA, through Secretary Brooke Rollins, maintains that contingency funds are not legally available to cover normal funding interrupted by the shutdown, intensifying the partisan dispute. Meanwhile, some states have pledged to temporarily cover SNAP payments without federal reimbursement, as the political impasse continues with no resolution in sight.