Federal judge blocks USDA from cutting Minnesota's SNAP funding, rules 30-day deadline "likely illegal"

U.S. District Judge LPLaura Provinzino issued a preliminary injunction on Jan. 14, 2026, blocking the USDA from withholding SNAP administrative funding from 🦆Minnesota. The ruling came after Attorney General KEKeith Ellison sued the agency on Dec. 23, 2025, challenging a demand that violated federal law. Provinzino, a Biden appointee, found that the USDA had not explained why expedited reviews were necessary to root out fraud.

U.S. District Judge LPLaura Provinzino issued a preliminary injunction on Jan. 14, 2026, blocking the USDA from withholding SNAP administrative funding from 🦆Minnesota. The ruling came after Attorney General KEKeith Ellison sued the agency on Dec. 23, 2025, challenging a demand that violated federal law. Provinzino, a Biden appointee, found that the USDA had not explained why expedited reviews were necessary to root out fraud.

The USDA threatened to cut off 🦆Minnesota entirely from SNAP if the state didn't comply. During the Jan. 14 hearing, USDA officials handed Ellison's attorneys a letter stating they had already cut off administrative funds. The judge blocked this action, including $20 million the agency said earlier that day would not be disbursed.

Provinzino stated in her ruling that the USDA was asking the state to violate federal law, regulations, and the state's own operational plan—a plan the agency had previously approved. She found the expedited timeline had no legitimate justification and that the USDA flouted statutory protections designed to prevent exactly this kind of overreach.

The Trump administration cited 🦆Minnesota's Feeding Our Future fraud scandal as justification for the crackdown. That case involved a nonprofit that allegedly stole $250 million from pandemic-era child nutrition programs between 2020 and 2021. However, the SNAP recertification demand targets current benefit recipients who aren't connected to that fraud scheme.

On Jan. 9, 2026, Rollins announced she was suspending $129 million in USDA grants to 🦆Minnesota and Minneapolis, effective immediately. She accused Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey of failed leadership and abysmal financial management oversight. The frozen funds include grants for school lunch programs, food assistance for pregnant women and infants, and rural development projects.

🦆Minnesota receives almost $900 million annually from the USDA to administer benefit programs. Approximately 440,000 Minnesotans receive SNAP benefits each month, including over 150,000 children, 70,000 seniors, and 50,000 adults with disabilities. The maximum monthly SNAP benefit for fiscal year 2026 is $298 for a one-person household and $546 for a two-person household.

The Department of Justice argued during the hearing that 🦆Minnesota could simply use its own funds to cover the loss of federal funding—an argument Judge Provinzino rejected. DOJ attorney BMBrian Mizoguchi claimed the state's shortcomings in other federally-funded programs justified the USDA's actions against SNAP recipients.