Newsom, Bonta file lawsuit to restore CalFresh aid as millions face food insecurity.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California leaders are taking the Trump administration to court as the government shutdown drags on — filing a lawsuit to restore funding for SNAP, the federal food assistance program, known as CalFresh in California.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Tuesday morning that the California Department of Justice filed its 45th lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing the U.S. Department of Agriculture has unlawfully suspended SNAP funding.

“The country’s need for SNAP does not disappear just because USDA has abandoned its responsibility to fund it,” Bonta said.

Governor Gavin Newsom joined Bonta in announcing the legal action, filed alongside 25 other states and the District of Columbia. The suit follows confirmation from the USDA that November benefits will not be issued, citing a lapse in federal funding caused by the ongoing budget standoff in Congress.

The USDA blamed Senate Democrats for the gridlock, saying in a statement that “the well has run dry.” Bonta disputed that claim.

“We know that’s absolutely false… it’s a lie,” he said, adding that the USDA has at least $6 billion in contingency funds that could be used to fund the program. He noted the agency has relied on those funds in previous shutdowns and acknowledged the availability of that resource as recently as last month.

We asked the USDA. They referred us to a document that states contingency funds are not legally available for regular benefits without congressional appropriation.

California officials say more than 5 million residents who rely on CalFresh could lose food assistance by next month if the issue isn’t resolved.

Newsom said the state has fast-tracked $80 million to local food banks, but acknowledged that’s not enough to fill the gap.

“We’ve got to have some humility here,” Newsom said. “It’s $1.1 billion a month the federal government is providing.”

Bonta has also filed for a temporary restraining order to force the USDA to release November SNAP funding sooner.

Residents can support local relief efforts by visiting cafoodbanks.org for donation information.

WATCH MORE ON ABC10 | SNAP Latest: Newsom, Bonta to sue Trump Administration

ABC10: Watch, Download, Read