NJ Sues to Block Federal SNAP Policy That Could Cut Off Food Aid for Legal Immigrants in N.J.

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general suing the Trump administration over new federal guidance that could cut off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents — including refugees and asylum recipients — who reside in New Jersey and across the country.

The lawsuit, filed in Oregon federal court and led by the attorneys general of New York and Oregon, seeks to block recent guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that reinterprets immigrant eligibility for SNAP benefits under the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a budget law passed earlier this year.

According to Platkin, the USDA’s new directive is not only legally unfounded — it’s potentially devastating.

“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.”

What the USDA Did — and Why States Are Fighting Back

On October 31, 2025, USDA released a memo to state SNAP agencies claiming that noncitizens who enter the U.S. through humanitarian channels — such as asylees, refugees, and parolees — are permanently ineligible for SNAP, even after becoming lawful permanent residents with green cards.

But the attorneys general argue that this position directly contradicts longstanding federal statutes. Under the law, many immigrants who arrive in the U.S. under humanitarian protections are explicitly allowed to access SNAP after receiving green cards and meeting standard eligibility criteria.

The lawsuit, joined by Platkin and 21 other attorneys general, alleges that the USDA’s interpretation is not only wrong, but was implemented with zero notice and threatens to impose costly penalties on states forced to adapt overnight.

New Jersey at Risk: A Choice Between Feeding Families or Breaking the Law

According to the complaint, the USDA is now insisting that states comply with the new policy immediately — retroactively claiming a 120-day compliance window that, in reality, ended the day after the guidance was released.

That creates what Platkin calls “an impossible choice”: either violate federal law by refusing eligible applicants, or risk millions in federal penalties by complying with a rule that was never lawfully enacted.

“The USDA’s confusing and incorrect guidance puts vulnerable people at risk of losing the food they need to survive,” said Attorney General James. “Refugees, asylees, and other immigrants who obtained legal status should not lose access to SNAP benefits because the federal government misread its own laws.”

In New Jersey, where more than 800,000 people rely on SNAP to help cover basic food needs, the new guidance could cut off assistance to thousands of green-card holders who came to the U.S. through refugee or asylum programs.

Lawsuit Demands Court Intervention

The complaint filed by Platkin and his counterparts seeks an immediate injunction to block the USDA memo from taking effect. The coalition is also asking the court to vacate the guidance as unlawful, arguing that it was imposed without the required administrative rulemaking process, violates the plain text of federal law, and fails to consider the real-world consequences of cutting off food aid to lawful immigrants.

The attorneys general argue the USDA’s memo is not just illegal — it’s dangerous.

Joining Platkin in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

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