A collection of Democrat attorney generals have sued the Trump administration over guidance they say unlawfully blocks legal immigrants from accessing food aid.
The attorney generals from 21 states across the country argue the fines imposed by the administration for a breach in SNAP laws are so extreme it could see the closure of the entire benefit system in some states. The GOP narrowed immigrant eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with a tax and spending package signed into law last July.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has since suggested the financial strain of SNAP fines are "so extreme" it could force some states to shut down the program, leaving many without aid during the cost-of-living crisis.
James wrote, "USDA’s interpretation could saddle states with fines so extreme that some warn they could be forced to shut down their SNAP programs entirely — a disastrous outcome that would leave millions of Americans without access to the nation’s most essential anti-hunger program."
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has since told Politico the administration must not violate the law so "blatantly". He said, "The federal administration should stop violating the law so blatantly. We will continue to monitor, hold them accountable."
State officials argue that current guidance would bring heavy financial penalties on states which could collapse the SNAP system. Democrat attorney generals argue this must be reversed quickly.
A lawsuit filed by the collection of attorney generals suggests the Trump administration has failed to provide clear reasoning for changing its position on changing how the benefits are accessed. The suit was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
It reads, "The Guidance is arbitrary and capricious because the Defendants failed to provide a reasoned explanation for why the agency was changing its position as to whether individuals who have had the following status were subject to the five-year waiting period: Refugees, Individuals Granted Asylum, Deportation Withheld, and other groups that have the same eligibility as Refugees under statute."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said, "President Trump was elected with a resounding mandate to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government — which includes ensuring that illegal aliens are not receiving benefits intended for American citizens."