By News Reporter Gabby Cedano
Kentucky has joined a coalition of 24 states and the District of Columbia in filing legal action against the Trump administration for what they describe as an unlawful suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The SNAP program, which helps more than 40 million Americans afford groceries each month, has been halted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) until new federal funding is allocated. According to a news release, the decision affects nearly 600,000 Kentuckians, many of whom are children, seniors, and working families.
Gov. Andy Beshear says leaders should be fighting hunger, not fueling it, and believes that denying families access to food assistance is not only unlawful but immoral. Beshear says his faith reminds him that food is meant to be shared and that everyone is called to care for one another and that the Trump administration’s decision does the opposite.
On October 24, the USDA notified state agencies that it would pause all November SNAP benefits, citing a lack of available funds. However, state government officials argue that the agency still has access to billions in contingency reserves set aside by Congress specifically to prevent such disruptions. Critics note that the USDA has continued funding other federal programs using emergency dollars, but has chosen not to do so for SNAP.
According to Beshear’s Office,Kentucky officials emphasized that current SNAP benefits remain active and recipients can continue using their available balances. Updates will be provided at the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) website, through the Self-Service Portal accounts and official agency notifications.
The lawsuit, issued by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, argue that the administration’s suspension violates federal law and endangers millions of families. The governors of Kansas and Pennsylvania also signed on in support.