UP TO 17-THOUSAND-500 HUNDRED NEW MEXICANS WHO’VE HAD TO PROVE THEY’RE WORKING OR LOOKING FOR WORK TO GET SNAP BENEFITS, FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS … CAN STOP DOING THAT FOR NOW. ON MONDAY, A U-S DISTRICT JUDGE IN LAS CRUCES RULED THAT THE STATE HAS BEEN WRONGLY DENYING THOSE PEOPLE FOOD ASSISTANCE SINCE THE NEW RULE TOOK EFFECT THIS YEAR.
THE STATE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAYS IT MADE THE CHANGE BECAUSE THE FEDS REQUIRED IT AFTER THE STATE’S WAIVER EXPIRED. THE JUDGE ISSUED AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THE STATE THAT SAYS IT CANNOT INSTITUTE THE NEW WORK RULES UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST IF IT DOESN’T PROVE IT WON’T RESULT IN NEW MEXICANS ILLEGALLY LOSING THEIR FOOD BENEFITS.
