The Trump administration, in a late-night memo revealed on Saturday, demanded that any states working to offer full meals stamp advantages by way of SNAP cease any steps they had been taking to take action.
The Division of Agriculture threatened to impose monetary penalties on states that don’t “comply” rapidly with their new orders.
“States should instantly undo any steps taken to challenge full SNAP advantages for November 2025,” Patrick Penn, the Deputy Secretary of Meals, Diet, and Shopper Companies for USDA, wrote within the memo.
Folks choose up meals at a pop-up meals distribution organized by the Alameda County Group Meals Financial institution in cooperation with Alameda County Social Companies Company in Oakland, Calif., November 6, 2025.
John G Mabanglo/EPA/Shutterstock
“Failure to adjust to this memorandum might lead to USDA taking varied actions, together with cancellation of the Federal share of State administrative prices and holding States answerable for any overissuances that end result from the noncompliance,” he added.
The brand new USDA directive comes because the U.S. Supreme Courtroom granted the U.S. Division of Agriculture an administrative keep to pause SNAP advantages whereas the authorized battles over them proceed to play out.
States together with New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have been transferring swiftly to launch SNAP advantages to residents.
-ABC Information’ Steven Portnoy and Isabella Murray
