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by giraffe_lady 226 days ago
> But for someone who has SNAP benefits, but isn't using a SNAP coupon to buy food (you know... because the government isn't funding the program), do these rules still apply?

The lawyer that does pro bono work for the food bank I volunteer with believes this rule doesn't apply in this case for exactly that reason. But the legal challenges will take time and the threat is effective now regardless so it barely matters.
1 comments
lcnPylGDnU4H9OF 226 days ago
> the threat is effective now

What is the actual threat? Assuming a grocery chain ignores the interpretation, what troubles could they face?

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dragonwriter 226 days ago
Banning from the EBT program, civil fines, and, potentially, criminal charges (I’m not sure you can wedge discounts for SNAP beneficiaries into any of the criminal violation categories though it seems like if you did it for cash purchases by SNAP beneficiaries as a way of trying to help deal with the suspension or reduction of SNAP benefits, it could probably be argued to be indirect trafficking—using SNAP payments to subsidize other inventory—which is criminal.)
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giraffe_lady 226 days ago
They don't need a good legal argument to just have border patrol ransack the place and stuff a bunch of customers & employees in detention for a week. We haven't seen (afaik) this sort of vindictive not-even-pretending use of ICE/BP yet but it's right around the corner.
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pseudalopex 226 days ago
They could be disqualified from SNAP or fined.[1]

[1] https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-II/s...

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