Federal judge Myong Joun on Friday granted a preliminary injunction that blocks a Trump‑era effort to impose a slew of conditions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The conditions – ranging from limits on discussions of gender ideology to restrictions on immigration and the inclusion of women’s athletic opportunities – are viewed by the states as an unconstitutional barrier to the nutrition services they provide to 39 million Americans.
The states’ lawsuit, filing 20 Democratic‑leaning ones, argued that the Agriculture Department’s new rules thrown unconstitutional and unlawful roadblocks between the programs created by Congress and the States that rely on them. The lawsuit contends the new requirements impede food‑access, threaten critical research in agriculture, and endanger the national food chain.
While the government filed a brief opposing the injunction, it highlighted how the new navigation would promote the sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars and ensure grant recipients comply with federal laws. Judge Joun said she will issue a memorandum explaining her decision later.
SNAP continues to be a vital safety net, helping roughly 1‑in‑9 Americans buy groceries. Preliminary data from the Department of Agriculture shows a drop of 4.3 million SNAP beneficiaries between January 2025 and January 2026—likely a result of the massive fiscal package pushed through Congress in the summer, which added those restrictive mandates. The injunction, therefore, keeps the program stable for communities that need it most, and preserves funding for agricultural research and food‑chain health.
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