By: Richard L. Smith
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general and three governors in filing an amended motion for a temporary restraining order against the Trump Administration, seeking to protect food assistance for millions of Americans.
According to information released by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the lawsuit challenges the administration’s decision to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for more than 42 million people who depend on the program to feed their families. 
The coalition filed the motion in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, requesting that the court block federal directives aimed at rescinding full SNAP benefits that had already been authorized under a court order in Rhode Island and guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Shortly after the filing, the District of Massachusetts granted a temporary restraining order and scheduled a hearing for the same afternoon.
“We will not stand by as the Trump Administration attempts to rip food away from the tables of New Jerseyans on SNAP benefits,” said Attorney General Platkin.
“New Jersey SNAP recipients have access to their full November 2025 benefits, and we are fighting to ensure that they remain able to feed their families.
We are grateful that the Court has already blocked the Trump Administration’s reckless and illegal attempts to revoke SNAP funds and look forward to making our case in court to permanently stop them from harming families in New Jersey.”
The dispute stems from a November 7 decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, which ordered the USDA to make full SNAP benefits available to states.
Following that ruling, the USDA directed states to proceed with issuing full benefits, prompting New Jersey and other states to distribute the funds to eligible residents.
However, one day later, the USDA filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court to block the Rhode Island order.
Afterward, the agency reversed course—demanding that states retract or “undo” the SNAP benefits that had already been distributed.
States were warned that failure to comply could lead to financial penalties or liability, even though many recipients had already used their benefits to purchase essential food items.
Attorney General Platkin and the multistate coalition argue that the administration’s abrupt reversal was unlawful and harmful to millions of vulnerable families who rely on SNAP to meet basic nutritional needs.
The coalition’s broader legal effort seeks a permanent injunction to prevent the federal government from taking similar actions in the future.