Federal Court Keeps November SNAP Benefits Flowing, Will Hold Court Hearing Later Today

Last night, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield alongside a coalition of 22 attorneys general and three governors filed a motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to ensure that Oregonians can keep accessing their full November benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which were distributed last Friday. This morning, the district court blocked the Trump Administration’s efforts to “undo” the distribution of those benefits. As a result, SNAP benefits continue to be available in Oregon.

“This kind of whiplash lands directly on families who are just trying to keep food on the table,” said Attorney General Rayfield. “The Trump Administration tried to threaten states. Oregon will not let them threaten and attack hungry families and we are going to fight like hell to keep those benefits where they belong.”

Over the weekend, the U.S. Department of Agriculture abruptly directed states to “immediately undo” the steps they had taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November, even though those actions had been consistent with a federal court order and USDA’s own guidance. Late last night, Oregon and its coalition partners asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to block that directive, arguing that USDA’s directive puts states in an impossible position and would harm families. Early this morning, the Court stayed USDA’s directive—meaning Oregonians can continue to access their November SNAP benefits. A hearing on the States’ TRO motion is set for 12:30pm PT today.

Joining Attorney General Rayfield in submitting the TRO motion are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, along with the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.