Several states led by Massachusetts have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is imposing unconstitutional conditions on billions in funding for food programs and agricultural support. The suit claims these requirements, tied to immigration policies and opposition to diversity initiatives, hold critical aid hostage. New York Attorney General Letitia James joined the plaintiffs in condemning the move.
A coalition of states, spearheaded by Massachusetts, filed an 81-page lawsuit this week in Massachusetts federal court challenging new conditions imposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on all its programs, grants, cooperative agreements, and mutual interest agreements for 2026. The plaintiffs argue that the Trump administration is using these vague requirements—related to anti-discrimination policies, gender ideology, fair athletic opportunities for women and girls, and immigration—as leverage to advance political priorities, effectively holding funding for essential services hostage. The lawsuit states: 'USDA has now thrown unconstitutional and unlawful roadblocks between the programs created by Congress and the States that rely on them, threatening critical nutrition support, vital agricultural research, and the safety of our national food chain and communities.'
