One of every seven New Yorkers received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in 2024, according to the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
State Attorney General Letitia James is asking the federal government to clarify some of the new guidelines she says are wrong. She and 20 other attorneys general sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
They say new guidance wrongly lists several groups of immigrants as ineligible for food assistance. The attorneys general also say the agency is misrepresenting the federal five-year waiting period for some lawful residents.
The developments occur as confusion still exists about if SNAP recipients need to reapply for benefits.
What You Need To Know
The federal government shutdown may be in the rearview mirror, but for SNAP users, its effects are not
Attorney General Letitia James and 20 other attorneys general sent a letter to the USDA and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins
They say new guidance wrongly lists several groups of immigrants as ineligible for food assistance
This comes as there is confusing information about whether people will need to reapply for SNAP benefits
Jackie Baker has been a SNAP beneficiary for the last four years.
“I get $70 a month and that’s a little painful here and there to be a little bit tighter because I also lost my husband’s income when he died, and he didn’t leave me life insurance. And I don’t qualify for his Social Security,” she said.
Baker is grateful for every dollar she receives and tries to stretch every cent.
“I don’t eat anything fancy. I cooked beans from scratch and peas, dried peas, to make pea soup or bean soup or chili, that kind of thing. When I make a pot of chili, I use a third of a pound of ground beef in it, used to make it with a whole pound. I don’t do that anymore,” said Baker.
Baker said she sees clips on social media of people flaunting the misuse of their SNAP benefits, and whether those clips are real or not, they are upsetting to her as someone who relies on the program.
There is also some confusion about if all SNAP beneficiaries need to reapply for the program following the federal government shutdown.
“Participants in New York are understandably confused and scared about what’s going to happen with their benefits. And it’s unnecessary confusion. We hope that USDA will promptly clarify that they are referring just to regular recertification processes,” said Hunger Solutions New York Director of Public Affairs Krista Hesdorfer.
Baker said she would not mind reapplying.
“I don’t have a problem reapplying. Let me know what you need and I’m happy to give it. If it means that I lose my food stamps, so be it. If it means that I keep the same, I’m thrilled. If it means I get a little bit more, wow, what a blessing,” she said.
A bill signed by the President Donald Trump in July expands requirements for many SNAP beneficiaries to work, volunteer or participate in job training for at least 80 hours a month.