Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has joined a coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia in filing a legal response urging the federal government to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which supports about 42 million Americans, including nearly 500,000 in Nevada.
The coalition’s filing challenges the Trump administration’s decision to fund only part of the program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s contingency fund.
The response argues that the federal government is legally obligated to pay the full amount, that the money is already available, and that partial payments have caused delays and confusion for families depending on food assistance.
“It is outrageous that the federal government is still attempting to withhold money that has been set aside to feed Nevadans in need,” said Attorney General Ford. Americans going hungry may not bother President Trump, but Nevadans do not abandon their neighbors when they ask for help. I will not stop this fight until Nevada families do not have to sit at empty tables so the president can play politics.”
The coalition’s brief argues that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s delays and complex benefit calculations are both unworkable and unlawful. It asks the court to issue a Temporary Restraining Order requiring the federal government to release full benefits immediately, citing the harm to states and residents.
The filing is part of an ongoing lawsuit joined by Attorney General Ford that challenges the Trump administration’s suspension of full benefits, arguing it violates the Administrative Procedure Act by being arbitrary and contrary to law.
A federal judge in Rhode Island separately ruled Thursday that the Trump administration must locate the funds to fully pay November’s SNAP benefits, a decision that aligns with the coalition’s arguments but was issued in a separate case. To read the full story, click here.
