Hochul calls on Trump administration to immediately resume food assistance payments

WASHINGTON — Gov. Kathy Hochul called on the Trump Administration to "immediately" release federal emergency food assistance dollars after two federal judges ordered separately Friday that the help must keep flowing in November.

The monthly assistance normally would arrive Saturday for the 160,000 Long Islanders and 3 million New Yorkers who rely on it to supplement their nutritional needs. But the USDA had announced it was cutting off the November funds and was not going to use $5 billion it had in reserves.

Even with Friday’s rulings, the payments to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the former food stamp program, still likely won’t show up immediately, and there may also be legal appeals filed.

"My administration is preparing for the worst," Hochul said, adding that New York was still fast-tracking over $100 million for food banks and pantries and declaring a state of emergency.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the Trump administration’s plans to cut off SNAP payments "vindictive and heartless," asserting that the president was trying to "manufacture a hunger crisis" to avoid having to "fix health care," referring to a central issue in the standoff.

"The Trump administration must release these funds now, and Republicans need to come to the table to permanently fix this crisis they created," said New York’s junior senator, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.

Long Island’s four congressional members reacted with relief, but with different partisan perspectives.

"While I’m glad that this critical assistance won’t immediately lapse, piecemeal lawsuits can’t undo the harm American families are facing because of the Democrat shutdown," Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) said.

Fellow Republican Nick LaLota of Amityville said that to ensure that SNAP and other programs continue with more certainty, Senate Democrats led by Schumer "must vote to reopen our government immediately."

In her ruling Friday, a federal judge in Boston gave the USDA until Monday to come up with a plan to at least partially fund SNAP. Nearly simultaneously, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that the program must be funded by tapping about $5 billion in SNAP emergency funds.

"The federal government has the month to keep the food programs on track," Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), said of the rulings. He added, "No American should ever face hunger because of politics. We need to end this shutdown."

Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) noted that she'd urged the administration to release the SNAP funds.

"Hunger knows no political party and should not be used as a political weapon," Gillen said. "I am pleased that two federal judges ruled earlier today that the funds must be distributed."

Twenty-five states, including New York, filed the Boston lawsuit seeking the release of SNAP contingency funds.

"The federal government cannot simply walk away from its obligation to feed the people it serves," New York Attorney General Letitia James said, "We will keep fighting until every family in New York and across the nation can put food on the table."