Attorney General Bonta Celebrates Court Decision Requiring Trump Administration to Pay Full November SNAP Benefits

Calls out Trump Administration for appealing latest decision, instead of focusing on providing SNAP benefits

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement celebrating today’s decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island ordering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide full SNAP benefits by tomorrow. The lawsuit in the District of Rhode Island was brought by a coalition of local governments, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and workers’ rights organizations. Earlier today, as part of a coalition of 23 attorneys general and three governors, Attorney General Bonta filed a reply brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, requesting an order directing USDA to award full November SNAP benefits. In the brief, the coalition argues that USDA’s decision to award reduced benefits, rather than full benefits, is unlawful and continues to cause irreparable harm to the states and SNAP beneficiaries. 

“More than 41 million low-income Americans rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table, and to date, the Trump Administration has failed them miserably. Carrying out USDA’s directive to award reduced benefits has been nothing short of an administrative nightmare in many states,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We continue to believe that the Trump Administration is legally required to pay full November SNAP benefits, which would also be far easier to get out the door. And it’s great news that they have now been ordered to do precisely that. Instead of simply focusing on getting vital food assistance to millions of people, however, USDA has appealed this latest order. It’s unconscionable. Californians, and people across this country, can’t afford any more delays or excuses.” 

On October 28, Attorney General Bonta co-led the coalition in filing the lawsuit against the USDA, Secretary Brooke Rollins, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and Director Russell Vought over the unlawful suspension of SNAP benefits for the month of November. Days later, two federal district courts determined that the Trump Administration acted unlawfully by choosing to suspend November SNAP benefits. Earlier this week, Attorney General Bonta issued a statement criticizing the Administration’s decision to provide only partial November SNAP benefits, despite being able to fully fund those benefits. 

A copy of the reply brief can be found here.