UMVA has learned that a shocking example of judicial activism has unfolded in the United States, as a federal judge has dealt a significant blow to the Trump administration's efforts to reform federal food assistance programs.
The ruling, handed down by U.S. District Judge Myong Joun, a Biden appointee, grants a preliminary injunction that halts the Trump administration's attempts to tie federal food assistance funding to basic common-sense conditions, siding with 20 Democrat states and the District of Columbia.
The blocked conditions, aimed at promoting sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars, included restrictions on promoting "gender ideology," preventing illegal aliens from accessing taxpayer-funded benefits, and ensuring "fair athletic opportunities" for women and girls.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that this is not the first time Judge Myong Joun has thwarted the Trump administration's agenda, having previously blocked efforts to reform and downsize the Department of Education.
The Trump administration, under Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, had been working to clean up massive federal programs, including putting all programs under review to ensure only American citizens receive food stamps and other benefits.
New requirements from Republican-backed legislation had already reduced SNAP rolls by nearly 4.3 million beneficiaries between January 2025 and January 2026 through basic eligibility enforcement, a move that was seen as a crucial step towards ensuring the integrity of these programs.
The conditions set by the Trump administration were straightforward: states had to certify they were not using federal funds to promote gender ideology, including programs that would deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities; states could not allow illegal aliens to obtain taxpayer-funded benefits or create incentives for illegal immigration; and they had to comply with federal anti-discrimination laws and Trump executive orders.
In essence, the administration was saying that if states wanted to receive billions in federal food aid, they could not use it to push radical transgender ideology or subsidize illegal immigration on the taxpayers' dime.
The 20 Democratic states, along with the District of Columbia, sued the Trump administration, claiming the conditions were "unconstitutional and unlawful roadblocks" threatening "critical nutrition support."
Judge Myong Joun's decision to block enforcement of the conditions has been seen as a temporary victory for the Democrat states, but the Trump administration had argued that the requirements would promote sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars, strengthen oversight of obligated funds, and ensure grant recipients actually comply with federal law.
