Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes co-leads coalition to sue Trump Administration over SNAP benefits
UPDATE (2:24 PM): The government shutdown, now in its 28th day, is causing major ripple effects across the country, including a looming suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
State leaders, like California Governor Gavin Newsom and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, are warning that a suspension of SNAP benefits will cause widespread consequences to those who depend on the assistance program.
"The Senate is going to be having lunch today, lunch, to discuss cuts to food programs, hope they enjoy their lunch, just paint that picture. I mean enough of this, cruelty is the policy that's what this is about, it's intentional cruelty, intentionally creating anxiety for millions and millions of people, 5.5 million here in our home state. So, again our state of mind is pretty clear, we're going to win this lawsuit."
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.)
"The GOP-controlled congress and the Trump Administration are now risking the health and safety of close to a million Arizonans who rely on Snap benefits each and every day, and every month. They are quite literally ripping away access to food and healthcare for millions of Americans just as we enter the holiday season. In Arizona, 12% of the state's population receives Snap benefits including 30,000 Arizona veterans."
Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General
Up to 42 million Americans rely on SNAP food assistance and recipients would ordinarily see their EBT cards get reloaded on November 1.
UPDATE (11:45 AM): Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is holding a press conference to discuss the lawsuit she filed against the Trump Administration over SNAP benefits.
To watch the livestream of the press conference, see attached video.
PHOENIX (KYMA) - Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general and three governors Tuesday.
According to a press release, this is in regards to the Trump Administration "unlawfully suspending the the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)" due to the government shutdown.
"Donald Trump is cutting off food assistance for nearly 900,000 Arizonans as we head into the month of Thanksgiving," said Attorney General Mayes. "I'm suing to stop him and protect the seniors, veterans, working families and their children all across Arizona who rely on the few hundred dollars a month provided by SNAP to feed themselves."
Following the government shutdown, which happened earlier this month, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sent a letter to SNAP agencies across the country saying if the shutdown continues, "there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for the approximately 42 million individuals across the country that rely on them."
However, according to the press release, the agency has access to "billions of dollars in SNAP-specific contingency funds" which was appropriated by Congress for that very purpose.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez are three of the 21 attorneys general joining Mayes, along with the governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
To learn more about the lawsuit, click here.
