Oregon Sues Trump Administration Over USDA Funding Conditions Tied to SNAP and WIC

Oregon Attorney General Rayfield joined 20 other attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its unconstitutional and unlawful attempt to impose conditions on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, grants, cooperative agreements, and mutual interest agreements.

Oregon Lawsuit Seeks To Stop USDA Funding “Detention”

In a lawsuit filed yesterday, AG Rayfield and the coalition asserted that USDA threatened harsh penalties if states don’t comply with the agency’s vague and expansive funding conditions regarding immigration, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and gender identity in funding changes effected on Dec. 31, 2025.

These are unrelated to the purpose of USDA funding, which is effectively being “detained.”

The funding affects programs that provide basic, essential services for millions of Oregon’s most vulnerable children, working families, senior citizens, and rural communities, such as:

• The school lunch program
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
• The Volunteer Fire Capacity Program.

AG Rayfield said, “No family in Oregon should have to worry about whether their child will have enough to eat.”

The coalition indicated in their lawsuit that USDA does not fully identify or limit which policies states must comply with, leaving states at the administration’s mercy for enforcement of the new conditions. They argue that the Trump administration:

• Violated the Spending Clause by imposing coercive conditions without clear notice of its funding conditions.
• Violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) with arbitrary and capricious conditions that are not constitutional, contrary to law, and beyond USDA’s statutory authority.

The plaintiffs asked the court to prohibit the USDA from implementing or enforcing the illegal conditions.

Oregon Exposed To USDA Funding Disruptions

Oregon is particularly exposed to disruptions in USDA funding. SNAP already reaches more than 740,000 people- over 1 in 6 Oregonians- and Oregon Food Bank says pantry visits have surged by 51% in two years.

SNAP also drives an estimated $1.6 billion into the Oregon economy each year.

Any prolonged uncertainty could hit both household food budgets and an emergency food network already under heavy strain. Food assistance is a vital lifeline.

The Oregon Food Bank Network saw 2.9 million visits last year, and USDA funding limitations would worsen the living circumstances of many Oregonians.