Maine and about two dozen other states are suing the Trump administration in an attempt to have federal food assistance benefits released next month in the midst of an ongoing government shutdown.

The complaint , filed in federal district court in Massachusetts, alleges that the suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits is illegal. The attorneys general say the U.S. Department of Agriculture has access to billions of dollars in contingency funds and can use them pay for the November benefits.

USDA has said it cannot use those contingency funds.

"The contingency fund is not available to support FY2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists," the department said late last week in a memo.

Contingency funding m

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