Early this morning, Judge Indira Talwani of U.S. District Court in Massachusetts stayed a Trump Administration demand that states “undo” the release of full SNAP benefits of November. The court’s stay came in direct response to a further motion for Temporary Restraining Order that a coalition of 23 attorneys general and three governors, which Attorney General Ellison co-led, filed late last night. In their motion last night, Attorney General Ellison and coalition asked the federal court in Massachusetts to block the Trump Administration’s November 8 directive to claw back full SNAP benefits that were authorized in response to a court order in Rhode Island. The directive was also contrary to guidance that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) itself issued one day prior.
“While reports pile up from every part of the country about the hunger and misery that Donald Trump is forcing 42 million Americans into, this weekend Trump went golfing in Florida. We are seeing that there are no depths to which Trump will not stoop to enrich billionaires and make sure hungry Americans starve — while rubbing their faces in it,” Attorney General Ellison said. “I’m grateful the court has granted our motion to stay USDA’s outrageous directive. This coalition and I will keep fighting this administration’s cruelty and lawlessness with every tool we have.”