Attorney General Brown Joins Amicus Brief Opposing Trump Administration’s Attempt to Withhold Full SNAP Benefits 

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BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a coalition of 26 states in filing an amicus brief opposing the Trump administration’s request to block a court order to deliver full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to the millions of Americans relying on them. The federal government’s motion, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, comes after a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fully fund November benefits by today.  

Attorney General Brown and the coalition filed their brief in Rhode Island State Council of Churches, et al., v.  Rollins, et al., arguing that USDA should fully fund SNAP benefits immediately to prevent further harm to states. They argue USDA’s needlessly complicated calculation of reduced benefits has sown chaos, and if states are forced to carry out this plan, it would create substantial, unlawful delays in getting benefits to reci​pients. The coalition also explains that the loss of SNAP benefits has a ripple effect on other state services, as increased food insecurity creates a strain on state safety net programs, and healthcare and educational institutions.   

The attorneys general argue that due to the federal government’s resistance to meeting its legal obligations to fully fund the SNAP program, American families are struggling to meet their most basic needs. These harms will continue unless the federal government fully funds SNAP benefits immediately. Attorney General Brown and the coalition urge the Court to deny the federal government’s motion for a stay.   

Joining Attorney General Brown in filing this brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, and the Governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. 

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