Western New York families could soon be impacted by a federal move involving billions in benefits for low-income households.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Western New York residents could be affected after the Trump Administration announced plans to freeze federal benefits for low-income families in five Democrat-led states — including New York — prompting state and local officials to assess the potential fallout.
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state received a letter on Tuesday, informing officials that upwards of $3 billion in federal funding that supports childcare and families is being halted by the federal government. The freeze also applies to about $7 billion allocated through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
The action targets New York as well as California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is accusing those states of widespread fraud, though no additional details were included in the announcement.
At the local level, the Erie County Department of Social Services said it is reviewing the situation to determine how residents could be impacted. In a statement issued Wednesday to 2 On Your Side, the department said it is “closely evaluating the notices sent to New York State by the federal government to determine how public benefits will be impacted on a local level.”
The department added that “as we did during the government shutdown in November, the department will notify the public when we have clear, program critical information to communicate.”
Officials have not yet said when the funding freeze could take effect or how quickly families in Western New York might feel its impact.