USDA Website Sparks Outrage by Blaming SNAP Benefits Expiration on Transgender People and Immigrants During Shutdown

A notice posted on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website on Monday has ignited a firestorm of controversy after it attributed the impending expiration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to Democratic lawmakers’ efforts to protect transgender people and undocumented immigrants. The notice, which appeared as a banner atop the USDA’s homepage, directly accuses Democrats of holding up government funding in pursuit of what it terms “healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures”—a phrase that has been widely criticized as inflammatory and stigmatizing by LGBTQ+ advocates and legal scholars .

The crisis comes as the government shutdown, now entering its fourth week, threatens to halt food assistance for over 42 million Americans enrolled in SNAP. According to the USDA’s own projections, unless Congress passes new funding legislation by November 1, no additional SNAP benefits will be issued, putting millions of families at immediate risk of hunger .

The shutdown follows a legislative impasse between the Republican-controlled White House and Senate Democrats. Negotiations collapsed over a series of funding bills for fiscal year 2026, with the central disagreement focused on whether to extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The White House and House Republicans have demanded the inclusion of policy riders that would restrict healthcare access for transgender people and block federal funds for undocumented immigrants. Democrats have rejected these measures, insisting on the preservation of existing healthcare protections .

The USDA notice reads: “Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance” .

This message, which scapegoats transgender people and immigrants for the funding lapse, has been described by advocacy organizations as a cynical and dangerous attempt to sow division and redirect public anger away from policymakers. The use of the term “gender mutilation procedures” has been condemned by medical and LGBTQ+ groups as medically inaccurate and deeply stigmatizing .

Legal experts warn that the USDA’s message may violate multiple federal statutes, including the Anti-Lobbying Act and the Hatch Act, which prohibit the use of taxpayer-funded government platforms for partisan political messaging. Several complaints have reportedly been filed with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, though precedents suggest enforcement is unlikely to result in immediate consequences .

“This is a clear misuse of federal resources, blending government communications with campaign rhetoric in a way that undermines public trust,” said a legal analyst from the Brennan Center for Justice .

The controversy arrives amid a wave of proposed federal legislation that would dramatically restrict the rights and healthcare access of transgender people in the United States. Among the policy riders included in House appropriations bills are provisions to ban any federal funds from supporting gender-affirming care, block health insurance coverage for transgender people, and impose new restrictions in areas ranging from military service to federal prison housing .

If implemented, these measures could effectively dismantle existing medical programs for transgender people at hospitals nationwide and prevent Medicare and Medicaid from covering medically necessary care for transgender patients. The Commerce, Justice, and Science bill and the Financial Services and General Government bill, among others, also propose bans on Pride flags at federal sites and require transgender people in federal custody to be housed according to their sex assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity .

LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations have condemned the USDA notice as an escalation of the federal government’s targeting of transgender people and immigrants. “The use of official government platforms to scapegoat marginalized groups is not only wrong—it’s dangerous,” said a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign. “It puts already vulnerable communities at even greater risk and distracts from the urgent need to restore critical food assistance to millions of Americans” .

Transgender people, especially those who are also immigrants or people of color, already face disproportionately high rates of poverty and food insecurity. According to the Williams Institute, nearly 30% of transgender adults in the U.S. reported experiencing food insecurity in the past year—a figure more than double that of the general population . The threat of losing SNAP benefits, combined with public scapegoating, has heightened anxiety and fear within these communities .

Advocates and legal observers note that the USDA post is part of a broader pattern of partisan messaging across federal government websites in recent weeks. The Trump administration has increasingly used official channels to broadcast political talking points, a move that critics argue erodes the traditional neutrality of government communications and threatens to undermine public confidence .

“The government’s responsibility is to provide clear, factual information to the public—not to use its platforms as a megaphone for political attacks,” said a former USDA official. “This kind of messaging endangers both democracy and the social safety net” .

As the shutdown continues, the fate of SNAP benefits and the millions who depend on them remains uncertain. The White House has signaled that it will not use emergency funds to pay out SNAP benefits in the absence of new appropriations, a departure from some previous shutdown responses . The Office of Management and Budget has instructed agencies to plan for permanent job losses in the event that discretionary funding lapses—a marked departure from the temporary furloughs used in past shutdowns .

While the USDA’s message has drawn condemnation, it also underscores the vulnerability of federal programs—and the people who rely on them—to partisan brinkmanship and political scapegoating. For millions of families, the political battle in Washington now has immediate, life-altering consequences.

In response to the USDA’s message, LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights organizations are calling for an immediate retraction and for Congress to prioritize protecting vulnerable communities in ongoing negotiations. “No one should go hungry because of political games or bigotry,” said Lambda Legal in a public statement. “We urge lawmakers and the public to stand with those most affected and demand a government that serves all its people, without prejudice” .

As the deadline for SNAP benefits looms, advocates stress that solidarity and accurate information are vital for resisting attempts to divide and distract the public. The crisis, they argue, is not the fault of marginalized groups, but of policymakers who have chosen to make their rights and lives a bargaining chip in the nation’s budget.