Motion challenges Trump Administration for issuing conflicting guidance on November SNAP benefits and seeking to intimidate states for starting to disburse those benefits pursuant to court order 

This morning, court granted coalition’s request to pause USDA guidance ordering states to undo implementation of full benefits, set remote hearing for today at 12:30 PM PT

November 10, 2025 - OAKLAND — Fighting to continue protecting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for the month of November, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 23 attorneys general and three governors in filing a further motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. In the motion for a TRO, the coalition urges the court to hold a hearing later today because of the conflicting guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) since November 3. USDA’s latest guidance document, released on Saturday, November 8, claims that sending full SNAP payment files “was unauthorized” and that the states must “immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025.” In California, SNAP benefits already flowed to many recipients pursuant to an order by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island on Thursday, November 6, requiring the Trump Administration to fully fund November SNAP benefits. On Friday, November 7, in response to the court’s order, USDA notified states that it was “working towards implementing November 2025 full benefit issuances” and that it “will complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processors.” This morning, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted the coalition’s request to pause USDA’s November 8 guidance document from taking effect and set a remote hearing for today at 12:30 PM PT.

“The Trump Administration does not want full November SNAP benefits to be issued. That should be clear as day by now. It is fighting us tooth and nail to stop vital food assistance from reaching more than 41 million low-income Americans. My fellow attorneys general remain undeterred. We have not shied away from a fight, and we certainly have no plans to start now,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We are back in court because President Trump and his Administration have issued public threats against states that have already issued full November SNAP benefits. If the Trump Administration is looking for someone to admonish, it need only look in the mirror.” 

In the motion for a TRO, the attorneys general write that:

• USDA failed to explain how it was “unauthorized” for the states to send full benefit files while the Rhode Island District Court’s orders were in effect and after USDA had itself assured the states on November 7 that it was implementing full benefits.
• USDA also failed to explain how the states could “undo” the issuance of full SNAP benefits or make any effort to grapple with the severe consequences of its about-face.
• Before USDA’s November 8 guidance, and in reliance on the District of Rhode Island’s order and USDA’s promise of “mak[ing] funds available,” many states acted swiftly to do their part to get benefits to their citizens by sending benefit issuance files to their EBT vendors. Quickly thereafter, vendors received the benefit files and loaded EBT cards with SNAP benefits, and SNAP recipients began using their November benefits to purchase critically needed food. Those steps cannot be unwound easily, if at all.

On October 28, Attorney General Bonta co-led the coalition in filing the lawsuit against the USDA, Secretary Brooke Rollins, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and Director Russell Vought over the unlawful suspension of SNAP benefits for the month of November. Since then, in several legal filings, the coalition has maintained that the Trump Administration is required to issue full November SNAP benefits. The lawsuit in the District of Rhode Island was brought by a coalition of local governments, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and workers’ rights organizations.

Last night, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit denied USDA’s request for a stay pending appeal, but the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island’s order remains administratively stayed for approximately 36 hours to allow USDA to seek Supreme Court review. In light of the First Circuit’s denial of USDA’s request for a stay pending appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order this morning asking USDA whether it is still pursuing a stay of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island’s order and ordering further briefings if so. USDA has confirmed it still intends to pursue a stay and will file a supplemental brief.

The further motion for a TRO was co-led by Attorney General Bonta, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. They were joined by the attorneys general of Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.

A copy of the further motion for a TRO can be found here.

Source: CA. DOJ