A coalition of 25 Democratic-run states sued the Trump administration Tuesday to prevent billions of dollars of cuts to federal food assistance that are set to kick in this weekend.

Democratic attorneys general and governors from 25 states and Washington, D.C., claimed in the lawsuit that the Trump administration was threatening "illegal" cuts to SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the program for 42 million Americans, "cannot simply suspend all benefits indefinitely, while refusing to spend funds from available appropriations for SNAP benefits for eligible households," the lawsuit claims.

The Trump administration has argued it does not have the power to use that pot of existing money —

See Full Page