Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), contesting a federal demand that Minnesota conduct in-person eligibility interviews for more than 100,000 households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits within 30 days. The order affects about 191,000 people and threatens to cut off SNAP funding to Minnesota if not fulfilled.
The USDA’s directive, issued by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on December 16, requires Minnesota to “recertify” the eligibility of these households in four counties—Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, and Wright—by January 15, 2026. These counties account for nearly half of all SNAP households in the state. The letter also mandates that each household complete an in-person interview as part of this process. Failure to comply could result in Minnesota being disqualified from SNAP.
“It’s bad enough that the USDA has no lawful authority to impose these impossible demands on Minnesota,” Attorney General Ellison said. “But once again, the Trump Administration is threatening to let the needy go hungry. Donald Trump is doing whatever he can to keep vulnerable people hungry and scheming new ways to punish the states that want to keep them fed.”
Ellison argued that such a rapid recertification would be unmanageable even with advance notice or full allocation of state resources. He added that attempting this process would disrupt other county services and divert resources from fraud investigations designed to protect program integrity.
According to USDA data, Minnesota’s payment error rate for SNAP in 2024 was two percentage points below the national average and lower than those reported by 33 other states and territories. Despite this record, only Minnesota and Colorado have been targeted with such a recertification demand.
The Attorney General claims that this action is part of broader efforts by the federal government under former President Donald Trump to pursue political grievances against Minnesota and its officials. Previous attempts by the administration included using SNAP funding during government shutdowns and seeking sensitive data from recipients; Ellison noted he had successfully challenged those measures in court.
In his lawsuit, Ellison asserts that USDA’s requirements violate several federal laws including the Food and Nutrition Act—which prohibits requiring mass reporting for office interviews—and the Administrative Procedure Act. He contends executive agencies cannot impose conditions on states beyond what Congress authorized for receiving SNAP funds.
Ellison seeks a legal declaration deeming USDA’s actions unlawful and requests an injunction preventing their implementation.
