Federal judge blocks Trump administration’s threatened SNAP fines against states including Oregon, Washington

OREGON, USA — A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to penalize states with millions of dollars in fines related to their food assistance programs, marking a victory for the Oregon and Washington attorneys general who led a multi-state lawsuit.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon temporarily blocked the penalties and protected the continued operation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits while the case proceeds, according to Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown.

“Today’s ruling stops that disruption and allows Oregon to keep administering SNAP without fear of being punished for following the law,” Rayfield said.

The decision comes after the attorneys general sued the administration in November over guidance that attempted to cut off SNAP benefits for tens of thousands of lawful permanent residents, including former refugees and asylum recipients.

“Once again, the courts have sided with us and stopped the administration from implementing these illegal fines,” Brown said. “We will continue to do everything we can to keep this critical program running smoothly so that Washington seniors, children, and people living with disabilities can put food on the table this holiday season.”

RELATED: Oregon, 21 states challenge federal guidance ending SNAP for asylum recipients with green cards

On Nov. 26, the states filed a lawsuit challenging U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidance issued Oct. 31 that treated legal immigrants as ineligible for SNAP benefits. The attorneys general argued the guidance contradicted federal law.

On Dec. 10, the administration reversed itself and issued new guidance confirming that lawful permanent residents — including former refugees and asylum recipients — remain eligible for SNAP benefits, according to the attorneys general.

Despite that reversal, the administration continued to threaten states with fines, claiming states had missed a required “grace period” for implementing the new guidance, even though the final guidance was not issued until Dec. 10, according to the attorneys general.

The attorneys general argued the USDA misapplied its own regulations. Federal rules give states a 120-day grace period after new guidance is issued. USDA claimed that period expired Nov. 1, one day after the guidance was released and before states had a business day to review it, according to the lawsuit.

Rayfield and New York Attorney General Letitia James co-led the lawsuit. They were joined by attorneys general from 19 other states and the District of Columbia, according to Rayfield’s office.

“The federal government’s threat to impose this — especially during the holiday season — created needless uncertainty for programs that help people put food on the table,” Rayfield said.