Gov. Maura Healey is condemning President Donald Trump for threatening to withhold funding for SNAP from 21 blue states, which the White Home says refuse to adjust to USDA anti-fraud information necessities.
Following an occasion on the Division of Public Health headquarters in Boston on Wednesday, Healey known as the Trump administration’s transfer “outrageous” and “cruel.”
“It’s outrageous, it’s cruel, it’s appalling. President Trump has already been ordered to provide SNAP benefits. I thought it was kind of unbelievable when I saw it,” stated Healey. “What President Trump needs to do immediately is order Secretary Rollins to release SNAP funding and ensure that Americans don’t go hungry.”
The Trump administration says it would withhold SNAP meals support from recipients in most Democratic-controlled states beginning subsequent week, citing these states’ refusal to offer USDA FNS (Meals and Diet Service) required data on recipients – together with their immigration standing.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins made the announcement throughout Trump’s cupboard assembly Tuesday, saying the funding cuts will start subsequent week.
“In February of this year we asked for all of the states for the first time to turn over their data to the federal government, to let the USDA partner with them to root out this fraud to make sure that those who really need food stamps are getting them, but to also ensure the American taxpayer is protected,” Rollins stated.
“Twenty-nine states said yes, not surprisingly the red states and that’s where all that data on fraud comes from,” the secretary added. “But, 21 states, including California, New York and Minnesota — the blue states — continue to say no. So, as of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply.”
Rollins stated in November that USDA FNS was working to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and {that a} main overhaul of the system could also be wanted.
However when requested by the Herald why Massachusetts received’t hand over the information requested by Rollins and USDA, Healey pointed to a U.S. District Courtroom preliminary injunction in October quickly blocking the administration’s efforts to withhold the federal funding.
“The law is clear. The courts have ordered this,” Healey stated. “And the idea that he would allow a single secretary to single out certain states in the country and say, ‘We’re not going to follow the law, we’re not going to provide SNAP benefits and we’re not going to feed Americans.’ It’s outrageous. President Trump, today, needs to order Secretary Rollins to provide that funding to feed Americans.”
When requested by the Herald if Massachusetts SNAP recipients are checked on issues the USDA is requiring for the funding, like their immigration standing, names, dates of start, house addresses, Social Safety numbers and extra, Healey stated, “Yeah, absolutely and there is just so much misinformation out there. This is all manufactured by the Trump administration.”
The Herald then requested the governor why Massachusetts received’t adjust to the federal authorities’s request for data on recipients.
“Well, first of all, I was Attorney General and waste, fraud and abuse is something that I take very seriously. Second of all, the data is not relevant,” Healey stated. “The court has already decided this, so it looks like now they’re going to have to go back to court. But, you know, this is all made up stuff and it’s really unfortunate.”
Final month, the Herald reported on hovering out-of-state SNAP spending by Massachusetts recipients, with spending in states like Illinois and Arkansas seeing 48% and 25% will increase in Bay State EBT spending, respectively, over the past two fiscal years.
Out-of-state EBT spending even reached as distant as California and Hawaii. Figures supplied by the Division of Transitional Help additionally discovered over 111,000 new EBT playing cards have been issued in Massachusetts in fiscal yr 2025 — a 20% soar since 2021.
Round 42 million low-income Individuals depend on SNAP. The Trump administration says it would start withholding the funds subsequent week.
