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Oregon sued the Trump administration Wednesday, arguing that new federal guidance restricting food assistance benefits for green card holders violates federal law.
The suit, led by Oregon and New York and joined by around 20 other states, concerns an Oct. 31 memo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency that runs the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, which provides food benefits to tens of millions of lower-income U.S. residents.
The federal document issued new guidance to state SNAP agencies, describing changes to eligibility under the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
The new law had indeed narrowed eligibility for certain noncitizen groups, including refugees, asylum recipients, and others admitted under humanitarian protection programs.
But according to the plaintiffs, the USDA memo incorrectly asserted that all individuals who entered the country through these humanitarian pathways would remain permanently ineligible for SNAP, even in the event that they became lawful permanent residents.
“When this memo came out, we thought it must be a mistake,” said Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield in a written statement. Last week, states said, they called on the feds to clarify their position or withdraw and correct the memo. Rayfield’s office said the USDA has not replied.
The states argued the guidance has caused significant confusion, as officials have been asked to, within one day, “implement new substantive, erroneous limitations on SNAP eligibility,” many of which could not have been anticipated since they diverge from the text of the new federal law. They are asking a federal district court in Eugene to intervene.
Changes to eligibility for immigrants is just one of the new restrictions for the SNAP program under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. New rules that began going into effect this fall will make it harder to qualify for the program, while requiring states to bear more of the costs and take on additional administrative burden.
