Colorado Politics reporter Marissa Ventrelli details how Colorado joined 21 other states in a lawsuit to undo the Trump administration’s campaign to stop SNAP benefits from going to people illegally staying in the U.S., arguing the USDA’s guidance also sweeps in some noncitizens who should qualify. The legal fight targets how the department implemented July’s federal budget, which narrowed which noncitizens can get food aid.
The article notes a CBO estimate that roughly 90,000 people per month could lose eligibility at about $210 a month on average. It also points out Colorado’s exposure to new federal penalties for SNAP error rates and quotes Attorney General Phil Weiser, who is running for governor, saying the guidance will harm those legally eligible. USDA’s Brooke Rollins counters that illegal aliens should not receive government dollars.
The Bullet Point Brief
- Colorado joins a 22-state suit claiming USDA misapplied Congress’s July budget when tightening SNAP eligibility for noncitizens.
- States say USDA wrongly excludes some lawful permanent residents based on prior status, including refugees, asylum grantees, and parolees.
- CBO pegs monthly losses at about 90,000 people losing eligibility at roughly $210 each; that is real money, and real politics.
- Colorado’s 2024 SNAP error rate is 9.97 percent; new rules could force the state to cover 5 to 15 percent of costs, or about $6 million to $18 million.
- Weiser, running for governor, says eligible families will be harmed; USDA says taxpayers should not foot the bill for those here illegally. Pick your headline.
My Bottom Line
First, no surprise. Weiser is back in court swinging at Trump-world policy while you and I cover the legal tab. Colorado faces billion-dollar budget shortfalls, and last year the Democrat legislature shoveled millions to the AG’s office so he could make headlines. Priorities, folks.
And that headline should tick you off. Colorado is using your money to sue over a Trump policy that told agencies not to spend your money feeding people who are here illegally. The suit fixates on process and categories, a technicality pipeline that exploded during the Biden years, while taxpayers get drafted to bankroll the fight.
Here is the kicker. The article lays out how USDA’s guidance also affects some immigrants who may be eligible under the law, and how the state could eat penalties for SNAP errors. Translation: the state is risking more of your money to make sure government dollars can flow in edge cases that Washington just tightened. Meanwhile, Weiser wants to be governor.
My principle is simple. I am not saying people should starve. Churches and charities exist for a reason and Coloradans are generous. But taxpayer dollars should not fund benefits for those in the country illegally. If Phil Weiser thinks otherwise, he can make that case to voters without using your checkbook as exhibit A.
Source: Colorado Politics
