Faith Leaders Support Rhode Island State Council of Churches Lawsuit to Maintain SNAP

WASHINGTON — Interfaith Alliance, a leading national advocate for religious freedom and civil rights, recognizes the courage of the  Rhode Island State Council of Churches (RISCC) for suing the Trump administration over its attempt to halt the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown. 

RISCC is the lead plaintiff in Rhode Island State Council of Churches v. Rollins, which was brought by a nationwide coalition of local governments, charitable, legal, small businesses, and workers’ rights organizations. They are represented by Democracy Forward and Lawyers Committee for Rhode Island, and have already won initial victories in federal court to keep SNAP payments going. 

“The Trump administration’s demand that states “undo” full SNAP benefits paid out last week is an inhumane decision that will make basic necessities unaffordable for millions of Americans, said Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance. “Faith communities across the country are on the frontlines of the hunger crisis in America, and we stand in solidarity with the leadership of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches serving as the lead plaintiff in Rhode Island State Council of Churches v. Rollins. As a Christian clergy person I recall Jesus’ mandate to feed the hungry throughout his ministry and am disgusted by the administration’s callous actions. Perhaps the Trump administration’s own anti-Christian bias task force should investigate how Secretary Rollins is undermining the ministries of churches with her SNAP cruelty.” 

“It is our calling to reject fear-based narratives and to work against policies that deny food to children, the elderly, and the most vulnerable so that we may become a nation that champions justice, dismantles systems of oppression, and sets aside the politics of fear, hatred, and violence,” said Jeremy Langill, Executive Minister, Rhode Island State Council of Churches. “Our work is grounded in a love-based reality, a view of creation that recognizes a central call to faith: that in our daily lives we shall love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind and also love our neighbors as ourselves.”

Interfaith Alliance is also launching a new national solidarity statement today, which has already been signed by prominent religious leaders including Rev. Adriene Thorne of Riverside Church, Lisa Sharon Harper of Freedom Road, and Laurie Carafone, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. You can read it here. 

The statement notes that “The legal fight to maintain SNAP payments through the shutdown is not just about hunger, but also the ability of our houses of worship and faith-based organizations to continue to keep their doors open to provide for the American people. This is yet another example of the Administration’s lack of appreciation for the role that American churches and other faith communities play in our society.”

Contact: Ben DePasquale, [email protected]

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‍‍Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.