June 08, 2026 | Source: AOL.com | by Ashley Balcerzak
A federal judge sided with New Jersey and a coalition of Democratic-led states on Friday, halting the enforcement of new conditions on billions of dollars of federal food assistance under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Judge Myong J. Joun granted a preliminary injunction on June 5 requested by 20 states and the District of Columbia. Attorneys general argued in a federal lawsuit filed in March 2026 that the conditions put at risk supports such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — also known as food stamps — that millions of low-income families use to pay for food.
The USDA funding conditions include provisions that require states to certify compliance with policies related to gender ideology, immigration and “fair athletic opportunities for women and girls” that the states argue are vague, unconstitutional and unrelated to food and nutrition.
