Legal Action

Plaintiffs, a New York City-based legal and advocacy organization and a New York resident, filed suit challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) October 3, 2025, notice that prematurely terminated a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) waiver for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs), originally set to run through February 28, 2026. The waiver allowed recipients in 61 New York counties, including New York City, to delay work requirements due to insufficient job availability, and USDA’s abrupt action requires compliance within 30 days. Plaintiffs allege that this sudden enforcement will cause administrative chaos, risk erroneous benefit terminations for tens of thousands of SNAP recipients, and lacks statutory or regulatory authority, making it contrary to law under the Administrative Procedure Act.

On October 31, 2025, plaintiffs filed a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal without prejudice.