Santa Fe New Mexican: New Mexico congressional delegates push for federal refund of $30M in state food aid

New Mexico’s members of Congress on Tuesday sent a letter to federal officials urging them to reimburse the state for $30 million in food aid the state provided during federal disruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The Trump administration, meanwhile, threatened to pull future funding for the program from New Mexico and other states.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday said it would stop directing federal funds to states that have refused to turn over sensitive personal data from SNAP recipients, including Social Security numbers,The New York Times reported.
The federal shutdown, which lasted from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, delayed the disbursal of food aid under SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. After the federal government refused to tap emergency funds to issue November benefits, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishamordered $30 million in emergency state fundsto be distributed to New Mexicans enrolled in the program, covering around 30% of their monthly benefits.
“New Mexico’s governor did what the administration would not: she kept children, seniors, and people with disabilities fed,” wrote New Mexico’s Democratic U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez, Teresa Leger Fernández and Melanie Stansbury, and U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján.
“No state should have to raid their own budgets to fix a problem the administration created,” the delegation added in the letter.
That $30 million in state-funded benefits went out Nov. 1.
After a federal court ruling in November required the Trump administration to pay SNAP benefits, New Mexico administered the full federal benefits around one week later. The state did not require SNAP recipients to pay back the extra 30% in state-funded benefits they had received earlier in the month.
The congressional delegateshave said they’re hopefulNew Mexico will ultimately be reimbursed, although the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services has said states that provided benefits won’t be reimbursed. The agency didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
“Funding SNAP is a federal responsibility, and New Mexican taxpayers should not be penalized for your failure to fulfill your duty,” the state’s congressional delegates wrote.
Another threat to the state’s SNAP funds emerged Tuesday.
New Mexico was one of over 20 states, all led by Democratic governors, that refused the federal government’s request earlier this year to hand over recipients’ personal data. Instead, the states filed alawsuitin California District Court in July.
The states argued the data could be used for immigration enforcement and other activities unrelated to administering food aid,The New York Timesreported, adding, “The Trump administration contends that the information will be used to root out waste, fraud and abuse.”
A judge in October issued a preliminary injunction to prohibit the federal government from cutting off SNAP funding due to states’ refusal to share personal information.
But Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday the funds will be halted, according to theTimes.
“As of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply and they tell us and allow us to partner with them to root out this fraud and to protect the American taxpayer,” Rollins said.
The Department of Agriculture asked New Mexico on Nov. 24 to hand over five years of “detailed data about all SNAP recipients in the state” within seven days, said Michael Coleman, a spokesperson for the governor.
“Despite that clear directive from the court,” Coleman said, “the USDA nevertheless demanded New Mexico produce the data under threat of cutting off benefits.”
He added, “We expect imminent legal action will be taken stop the Trump administration once again from unlawfully cutting off vital benefits to the people that need them the most.”
New Mexico also joined afederal lawsuitfiled in Oregon in late November arguing new federal guidance illegally prevents many noncitizens who are lawful permanent residents from receiving SNAP benefits.