Nevada AG Joins Multi-State Lawsuit to Stop Suspension of SNAP Benefits

Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford (NV) has joined California, Arizona and over 20 other states in a lawsuit to stop the suspension of SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that 42 million Americans will not receive their monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as of November 1, 2025.

AG Ford stated, “The Trump Administration’s choice to cut SNAP benefits is not only a deliberate, cruel and extraordinarily harmful decision, it is unlawful. And the reason it cites —  the ongoing federal government shutdown — is inadequate. Contingency funds exist for this exact scenario, yet the USDA has decided to abdicate its responsibility to Nevadans and refused to fund SNAP benefits. I understand the stress of not knowing where your next meal is coming from, because I’ve lived it. I don’t wish that stress on any Nevadan, and I’ll fight to be sure nobody in our state goes hungry. I urge Governor Lombardo to do the same and to work with his party and President Trump to ensure that Nevadans receive their SNAP benefits.”

The USDA has blamed Senate Democrats for the shutdown for not funding the food stamp program/the government through a continuing resolution, stating “the well has run dry.”

“They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”

The lawsuit (see below) filed by Democratic Attorneys General and three Democratic governors filed the lawsuit in the Democratic stronghold of Massachusetts claiming that the USDA violated the Administrative Act.

The lawsuit notes:

Nationwide, for Federal Fiscal Year 2024, SNAP benefits averaged about $8.3 billion per month.

Currently, 50% of the cost of the administration of SNAP is borne by States while the federal government covers the other 50%

Under recently enacted legislation (known as H.R. 1 or the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”), States’ share of these administrative costs will rise to 75% for FFY 2027.

Suspending benefits will ultimately transfer costs to state and local governments and community organizations, as families increasingly rely on emergency services and public safety net programs, such as local food pantries.

In sum, it is well-understood that, as the Government Accountability Office explained earlier this year, “SNAP is considered an appropriated entitlement, meaning that the government is legally required to make payments to those who meet the program requirements” and that “USDA’s liability [extends to] the availability of appropriations for these payments.

The lawsuit also highlights the cost of the welfare program for a majority of the plaintiffs. In California, the SNAP program is called CalFresh and costs California taxpayers billions of dollars a month in benefits and administrative costs:

Since the beginning of Federal Fiscal Year 2025, approximately $1.07 billion in CalFresh benefits have been issued each month. Annually, California and the federal government each covers over a billion dollars in administrative costs. Each month, approximately 1.9 million SNAP recipients in California are children. More than $2,029,794,041 in SNAP benefits were issued over the course of state fiscal year 2024.

Last July, The Globe reported that California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is a plaintiff in this recent lawsuit, sued the USDA over a compliance order to give all SNAP records, including the immigration status of beneficiaries and their household members.

A recent study revealed that a majority of SNAP recipient households are foreign nationals, with nearly half of Afghani and Somali households on the taxpayer-funded welfare program.

NEW: Food stamp usage by ethnicity is shocking.

Nearly half of Afghan & Somali households are on welfare — while Americans who built this country rank near the bottom.

We’re rewarding dependency while punishing hard work.

When did that become “equity”?

Thoughts? ⬇️ 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/qbFYWmA8ki

— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) October 27, 2025

The Trump administration is not only requiring citizenship status, but also work requirements for SNAP eligibility in order to root out fraud and abuse.

In preparation of an extended government shutdown, Governor Joe Lombardo (R-NV) urged Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)) to end the shutdown and vote on the continuing resolution.

“Nevadans across the state are suffering from the federal shutdown,” said Governor Lombardo. “My administration is working to fill funding gaps and mitigate the impact wherever possible, but with paychecks paused and benefits in jeopardy, it’s well past time for Democratic leadership in Congress to work with Republicans and the President to reopen the government.”

According to the Governor’s press release, Nevada is home to approximately 495,000 individuals who receive SNAP benefits. Approximately $90 million a month in SNAP benefits are issued to Nevadans and are fully funded by the federal government.

The governor additionally provides a “fact sheet” for SNAP and Nevada’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) enrollees and warns that if the shutdown extends beyond October, the $90 million a month would cease to provide SNAP for 495,000 enrolled individuals. The 55,000 participants of the WIC program will not be impacted during the shutdown, through December 23, due to $7.3 million request in emergency funding that was approved by the Nevada Board of Examiners and the Interim Finance Committee on October 16.

“This request was a proactive step to prevent a disruption in services for families during the federal shutdown and underscores Nevada’s commitment to public health,” the fact sheet reads.

Joining Attorney General Ford in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. The Governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania have also joined as plaintiffs.