A federal worker based in Boston who gave a TV interview about food benefits and the impact of the government shutdown says she is being fired for discussing government programs publicly.

Ellen Mei, a 29-year-old employee with the Agriculture Department, appeared on MSNBC on Oct. 2 during the early stages of the prolonged government shutdown. Mei is a program specialist with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

During the interview last month, Mei discussed the impacts of the shutdown on SNAP benefits.

The next day, the agency informed Mei that she was going to be fired for her appearance on MSNBC, she told the outlet on Thursday.

“On October 3rd, I got a notice from the agency saying that they wanted to fire me for my appearance on MSNBC,” Mei said. “They said specifically t

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