Attorney General Jay Jones joins multistate lawsuit challenging SNAP restrictions

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Attorney General Jay Jones (D) on Friday joined a coalition of 23 other attorneys general to challenge the Trump administration's effort to illegally restrict eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

On Friday, Jan. 30, Jones' office announced that he had joined the coalition to fight a policy that would prohibit lawful permanent residents from accessing SNAP benefits, a move that advocates believe would prevent families from putting food on the table.

“My office is proud to join this lawsuit and defend the ability of legal permanent residents, including children, refugees, and immigrants granted asylum, access to the food they need to survive,” Attorney General Jones said in a statement on Friday. “Denying them access is not only illegal, but it will stretch the already thin pocketbooks of Virginians trying to feed their families. My office will use all legal tools available to defend Virginians against these inhumane actions.”

The announcement comes one day after Jones joined a multi-state coalition condemning the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) bid for voter data from Minnesota in exchange for getting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) out of the state.

These actions are part of a broader wave of legal moves taken since Jones was sworn into office on Saturday, Jan. 17, including joining lawsuits against the Trump administration and reversing several positions taken by his predecessors.

On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the office of the attorney general announced that Jones had moved to withdraw Virginia from his predecessor Jason Miyares’s arrangement with the DOJ, which was going to dismantle Virginia’s tuition law.