TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin on Wednesday joined 21 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit seeking to block new federal guidance that they say would improperly cut off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents.
The lawsuit challenges guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that state officials say would newly treat several categories of legal immigrants — including lawful permanent residents who previously obtained asylum or were admitted as refugees — as ineligible for SNAP. The coalition argues the guidance contradicts federal law and could expose states to significant financial penalties if implemented.
“Once again, the Trump Administration is trying to take food from the tables of families in New Jersey – legal residents who pay taxes and did everything right – for no reason other than illegal and abject cruelty,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Cutting SNAP benefits to legal residents is unlawful, unnecessary, and unthinkable at a time when families are having harder and harder time affording basic groceries. We are taking the Trump Administration to court and fighting to uphold the law so that our neighbors can feed their families.”
On Oct. 31, USDA issued guidance to state SNAP agencies describing eligibility changes under the recently enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The memo narrowed eligibility for some non-citizen groups and stated that individuals who entered the country through certain humanitarian pathways would remain permanently ineligible for SNAP, even after obtaining green cards. Platkin and 20 other attorneys general requested clarification or withdrawal of the memo last week; USDA has not responded.
According to the lawsuit, federal law clearly states that refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees, individuals whose deportation has been withheld, and others admitted under humanitarian protections become eligible for SNAP once they obtain lawful permanent residency and meet standard requirements. The attorneys general argue that USDA’s guidance incorrectly rewrites those rules.
The coalition also contends that USDA is misapplying its own regulations regarding states’ implementation timelines. Federal rules provide states with a 120-day grace period to adjust systems following new guidance without facing penalties. The attorneys general say USDA is now claiming the period expired Nov. 1 — one day after issuing the memo — which they argue is not possible under the agency’s regulations.
States have already begun implementing statutory SNAP changes enacted earlier this year, but the attorneys general say the new guidance would require abrupt system overhauls, leading to confusion for families, potential wrongful benefit terminations, and significant administrative burdens. The lawsuit asks the court to vacate the guidance and prevent its implementation.
The case is led by the attorneys general of New York and Oregon. In addition to New Jersey, participating states and jurisdictions include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
