Washington — A coalition of officials from half of the states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over the suspension of food stamp benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown, as millions of Americans brace for a disruption in federal food aid in the coming days.

The states, which include California, New York and Pennsylvania, are asking a federal judge in Massachusetts to order the Department of Agriculture to provide benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for November, including by tapping into a contingency fund to ensure the assistance continues to flow to more than 25 million people living in their borders.

They argue that the administration's decision to cut off food stamp payments, which are provided to roughly

See Full Page