Gov Hochul, Gov Murphy, Gov. Newsom Issue Statements, Directives Ending SNAP Uncertainty For 3 Million New Yorkers, 800K New Jerseyans, 5.5M Californians: Full Benefits Become Available

SNAP beneficiaries in both New York and New Jersey should have access to their benefits (in NY by Sunday). Food assistance resources and ways for members of the community to give to support food banks and food pantries can be found here. These groups have provided and continue to make available help and assistance for those whose benefits were delayed, as well as for those who don’t qualify for SNAP due to their income level.  To qualify in New York, one must make 135% or less of the Federal Poverty Level from all income sources, while in New Jersey, it is 200% of FPL. For reference, FPL is nationwide, not based on cost of living in any given state, and for a single person is about $25K per year.  Our interview about ALICE families goes into detail about this issue (particularly in states like NY, CA, and NJ where the cost of living is higher than in, day, Kentucky or Kansas). 

Readers can learn about the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, and there are other programs that help local kids  with toy and coat drives as well, including the Central Family Life Center. 

As mentioned in the USDA announcement, full funding amounts were made available, but states we supposed to know that the stay would be granted and not use it all immediately.  Surprisingly, only seven states did so, as shown below.  As Gov. Newsom mentioned below, the court was not instructing the government to ‘find the funds in the couch cushions,’ (paraphrased from the appeal), but there is $23 Billion in Section 32 funds that could be easily and legally used to fund the program.  This is what the administration is fighting in court, and which Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson granted time for the lower court to revise its decision (perhaps the wording of the decision did not properly reference the funds they were to use and this needs to be updated). Prior to the 7th of November, Governor Newsom deployed the National Guard to help distribute food to local pantries. 

According to Newsweek’s benefits tracker: As of November 7, the following states have confirmed that SNAP benefits have been distributed:

Alaska

California

Illinois

Louisiana

Nevada

Oregon

Vermont

Wisconsin

[New Jersey and New York as well, as per below]

However the USDA (on November 9th) has just ordered states that paid full disbursements instead of the reduced amount (to the poorest among us)  that they must immediately reverse or ‘undo’ that action – and take away the benefits already given or risk losing future funding. It is unlikely that these states will comply, or that USDA has legal authority to withhold these funds from any state in the future – especially since a ruling clarifying payments is imminent – and the shutdown WILL eventually end, making full payments provided at that point and into the future.  Below is the aforementioned guidance from USDA’s website: 

“The U.S. Supreme Court granted the U.S. Department of Agriculture an administrative stay of the orders issued by the District Court of Rhode Island in Rhode Island State Council of Churches, et al. v. Rollins, 25-cv-569. Pending any explicit direction to the contrary from Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), States must not transmit full benefit issuance files to EBT processors. Instead, States must continue to process and load the partial issuance files that reflect the 35 percent reduction of maximum allotments detailed in the November 5 guidance.

To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized. Accordingly, States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025. Please advise the appropriate FNS Regional Office representative of steps taken to correct any actions taken that do not comply with this memorandum.

Per 7 CFR 271.7(h), failure to comply with this memorandum may result in USDA taking various actions, including cancellation of the Federal share of State administrative costs and holding States liable for any overissuances that result from the noncompliance”

Statement From Governor Kathy Hochul

“After weeks of the Trump administration putting millions of New Yorkers through chaos and confusion, following guidance from USDA, I’ve directed state agencies to issue full federal SNAP benefits for November. We expect the first New Yorkers to begin having access to their benefits starting Sunday.

“Let me be clear, President Trump is hellbent on preventing millions of Americans from putting food on the table. He’s made decision after decision to withhold funding that feeds families, seniors, and children — and continues doubling down on this cruelty by challenging the courts’ clear orders. It’s senseless and un-American, and I’m working tirelessly to bring this uncertainty to an end for the nearly three million New Yorkers who rely on this program.”

Statement from Governor Murphy on Issuance of Full SNAP Benefits

Governor Newsom fights for Californians’ access to food benefits while Trump basically says “THE POOR MUST STARVE!”

Generated image courtesy of Gov. Newsom

What you need to know: Donald Trump just asked a federal court [SCOTUS] to issue an emergency stay of a judge’s ruling ordering the administration to fully fund SNAP food benefits. He wants children to starve. Governor Newsom is fighting back.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with other states, today submitted an amicus brief in the First Circuit Court of Appeals to defend California families’ continued access to SNAP food benefits. This follows a win yesterday, where a court ordered the Trump administration to immediately issue 100% of funding for 5.5 million California SNAP recipients. After the decision, California SNAP recipients began to see money loaded onto their cards so that families could access food as soon as possible. The Trump administration immediately appealed, continuing its fight to block families from getting the food they need to survive. Today’s brief is filed in response to the Trump administration’s request to put yesterday’s court order on hold.

“The Trump administration is literally fighting in court to block American families’ access to food. Trump is not fighting on your behalf.”

Governor Gavin Newsom

California, with more than 22 other states, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on October 28 over its unlawful refusal to fund SNAP/CalFresh benefits due to the nearly month-long federal government shutdown, despite possessing funds to support this critical program for the month of November. This caused 5.5 million Californians to temporarily lose critical access to $1.1 billion in food assistance for the month of November. On October 31, two federal courts found the federal government is statutorily mandated to use previously appropriated SNAP contingency funds available to them during the government shutdown, where use of reserves is necessary to continue supporting this critical program protecting over 42 million Americans – including 5.5 million Californians – from going hungry. The courts also found that the USDA has $23 billion in Section 32 funds that it could use for SNAP. Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island ruled that the administration must immediately restore full benefits to families, including the 5.5 million California recipients. The Trump administration is appealing this decision and fighting to ensure that families cannot access the food benefits they need.

Banner Image: National Guard distributes food to local pantries in California.  Image Credit – Gov. Newsom

Staten Islander News Service Staff Writer

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