A federal judge has temporarily stopped the Trump administration from cutting off tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for Minnesota’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), dealing a setback to the administration’s aggressive response to alleged welfare fraud in the state.
In a 50-page ruling issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Laura M. Provinzino barred the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from withholding SNAP funds while Minnesota’s legal challenge moves forward. The order prevents the administration from suspending payments for the first quarter of 2026, funds Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said would no longer be released.
The dispute stems from a letter Rollins sent last month to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), directing the state to recertify the eligibility of nearly 100,000 SNAP households across four counties within 30 days. Failure to comply, the letter warned, could result in the loss of federal funding.
The demand followed a broader federal investigation into Minnesota’s welfare programs. President Trump said in late November the state had become a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” allegations that have fueled heightened political and law enforcement scrutiny.
Minnesota sued shortly after receiving the letter, arguing the USDA overstepped its legal authority. State officials said the 30-day deadline was unworkable and that suspending SNAP funds would “wreak massive harms” on vulnerable residents, according to arguments filed by Attorney General Keith Ellison (D).
Judge Provinzino agreed, writing that the USDA had “failed entirely to provide a reasoned explanation for how this pilot project will help it assess fraud in Minnesota.” She also questioned why such a compressed timeline was necessary and whether the action aligned with federal law governing SNAP oversight.
The ruling directly contradicts Rollins’ public stance. Just days earlier, she posted on social platform X: “Today, @USDA is SUSPENDING FEDERAL FINANCIAL AWARDS to Minnesota and Minneapolis, effective immediately, until sufficient proof has been provided that the fraud has stopped. No more handouts to thieves! Time to drain the Minnesota swamp and put American taxpayers first.”
Minnesota officials have been under intense pressure following allegations that as much as $9 billion was stolen through various fraud schemes, with dozens of defendants charged. The controversy has reshaped state politics, prompting Walz earlier this month to announce he would not seek reelection.
The fraud investigation has also intersected with immigration enforcement. President Trump has cited the case while escalating criticism of Somali immigrants and deploying additional federal law enforcement officers to Minnesota.
Earlier this week, the state filed a separate lawsuit seeking to block the influx of federal agents, citing public safety concerns after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
“Let’s be clear: it never should have started,” Ellison said Monday. “These agents have no good reason to be here.”
The SNAP funding dispute will remain frozen until the court resolves Minnesota’s lawsuit, setting up a closely watched legal battle over federal authority, welfare oversight, and the limits of executive power.
