SNAP data - Rooting out Fraud

FTC chairman says Democratic governors are shielding fraudsters by refusing to hand over SNAP data

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson accused Democratic governors of blocking the Trump administration's effort to root out fraud in the food-stamp program, charging that their refusal to share recipient data amounts to protecting the people who steal from taxpayers.

Ferguson made the accusation Thursday during an appearance on Fox News' "America's Newsroom," where he laid out a widening rift between the administration and blue-state leaders over access to information about who receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

SNAP is funded by federal dollars but administered by state governments, a structure that gives governors effective veto power over whether Washington can audit the rolls.

The core dispute is straightforward. The administration has asked states to share SNAP recipient data so federal investigators can verify that benefits are reaching eligible Americans, and not illegal immigrants or other ineligible recipients. Red states, Ferguson said, are cooperating. Blue states are not. And he did not hold back about what that refusal signals.

"I don't know what else to infer from the fact that they're not cooperating other than trying to protect the fraudsters, and I don't know what to infer from that other than the Democrats are in on this, and I think it's a huge problem."

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Democrats block bill

SCOTUS rules on SNAP

Supreme Court Blocks Full SNAP Payments

President Donald Trump filed an emergency application at the Supreme Court Friday evening in a last-ditch effort to avoid sending out Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program benefits for November.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who presides over emergency applications from the First Circuit, granted Trump’s request. The Joe Biden appointee said that a temporary pause of a lower court’s ruling to fund the SNAP program was necessary to give the First Circuit time to review the administration’s pending stay motion.

Jackson said her order would expire 48 hours after the appeals court’s ruling, “which the First Circuit is expected to issue with dispatch.”

A federal judge had directed officials to tap a multibillion-dollar contingency fund to ensure benefits for 42 million Americans during the government shutdown.

Trump said the funds are depleted and can’t be replenished until Congress approves new spending.

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The Schumer Shutdown

Funding SNAP during Schumer Shutdown

Trump vows to ‘fund SNAP as soon as possible’ if court allows, blasts Democrats over shutdown delay

President asks courts to clarify legal authority for food stamp funding as government shutdown continues

President Donald Trump said Friday his administration has asked federal courts to clarify whether it can legally release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments as the government shutdown continues.

In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said government lawyers had raised doubts about whether existing funds could be used for the November distribution and that two courts have issued conflicting opinions on the matter.

"Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do," Trump wrote. "I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT."

The president said he had instructed administration attorneys to ask the courts for clarification "as soon as possible."

Courts rule that the government must use funds for SNAP

Federal Judges Order USDA to Pay SNAP Benefits During Shutdown

42 million Americans rely on the program to buy food each month

This calculates out to 12.35% of our poulation on food assistance

Two federal judges on Oct. 31 said the U.S. Department of Agriculture is legally required to use emergency funds to pay out food stamps benefits during the government shutdown.

The Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program’s (SNAP’s) funding was set to lapse on Nov. 1 because of the government shutdown, potentially affecting the food security of more than 40 million Americans.

President Donald Trump responded to the rulings in a Truth Social post on Oct. 31. “I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” he said. “Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”

A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled from the bench that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds. U.S. District Judge Jack McConnell also asked for an update on progress by Monday.

Likewise, a federal judge in Massachusetts gave the administration until Monday to specify whether it would partially pay for SNAP benefits in November with contingency funds or fully pay for them with additional funding.

Read more about SNAP

So all those who were getting food allowances now won't have to rob grocery stores or steal as they have threatened.