Michigan Joins 25 Other States in Lawsuit Over Halted SNAP Food Assistance Funding

Michigan joins 25 different states in a lawsuit over reduce funding for SNAP meals help

(State of Michigan, October 29, 2025)

Michigan Legal professional Normal Dana Nessel in the present day joined a coalition of twenty-two different attorneys basic and three governors when filing a lawsuit (PDF) in opposition to america Division of Agriculture (USDA) and its Secretary Brooke Rollins for unlawfully suspending the Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP), which helps greater than 40 million People buy meals, because of the ongoing federal authorities shutdown.

On October 1, 2025, the brand new federal finances 12 months started with out appropriations from Congress to fund the federal authorities, inflicting a “authorities shutdown.” On October 10, USDA despatched a letter to SNAP businesses stating that if the shutdown continues, there will likely be inadequate funds to pay full November SNAP advantages to the roughly 42 million people nationwide who depend on them.

Regardless of USDA’s declare of inadequate assets, the company has entry to billions of {dollars} in SNAP-specific emergency funds appropriated by Congress for this goal. USDA has funded different packages with emergency funds throughout this shutdown, however has determined that beginning November 1 it is not going to use the billions of {dollars} in emergency funds for SNAP, leaving hundreds of thousands of People with out the assistance they should purchase meals.

“There’s emergency funding for precisely a majority of these crises,” Nessel mentioned. “If the truth of 42 million People going hungry, together with 1.4 million Michiganders, is not an emergency, I do not know what’s. It’s merciless, inhumane and unlawful to withhold emergency reserves whereas households battle to place meals on the desk. I need to be clear: This can be a alternative the Trump administration is making, however I’ll proceed to do the whole lot in my energy to make sure the federal authorities doesn’t flip its again on the individuals it’s charged with serving.”

The expiration of advantages can have severe penalties for the well being and well-being of hundreds of thousands of individuals throughout the nation who depend on this system to feed themselves and their households. This shortcoming will even place pointless burden on state and native governments and neighborhood organizations as households change into more and more depending on emergency companies and native meals banks which are already struggling to fill the rising vitamin hole. It can affect college methods and universities and faculties, the place meals insecurity will hinder the training of our college students. Suspending SNAP advantages will even hurt the lots of of 1000’s of grocers and retailers who settle for SNAP funds for meals purchases throughout the nation. USDA has estimated that in a slowing financial system, each $1 in SNAP advantages generates $1.54 in financial exercise.

Almost 13% of Michigan households, or about 1.4 million individuals, obtain SNAP advantages. About 43% of those are households with youngsters, and 36% are households with older adults or disabled individuals. Moreover, roughly 40,000 veterans obtain SNAP advantages in Michigan.

Though states are chargeable for administering SNAP of their state, the federal authorities is required to fund and decide the month-to-month quantity of SNAP advantages. Suspending SNAP advantages on this method is each opposite to legislation and arbitrary and capricious underneath the Administrative Process Act. Whereas Congress has clearly mentioned that SNAP advantages ought to proceed even throughout a authorities shutdown, USDA has no authority to say in any other case. The coalition will even file a movement for a short lived restraining order later in the present day, asking the courtroom to instantly reinstate advantages.

SNAP individuals ought to contact their native Michigan Division of Well being & Human Companies workplace if they’ve any questions on their SNAP advantages or check MI Bridges for updates. For extra assets, residents can name 2-1-1 or cease by Get Help – Michigan 2-1-1 without cost, confidential assist and referrals to native meals packages and assist companies. Michiganders also can go to the Michigan Food Bank Council to seek out meals banks close by and study extra starvation reduction efforts.

In submitting this lawsuit, Legal professional Normal Nessel is joined by the attorneys basic of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. The governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania have additionally signed on.