EAST ST. LOUIS - A market in East St. Louis is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for terminating its participation in a federal program due to alleged discrimination.
All in One Corp., doing business as Express Stop, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), citing discrimination.
According to the lawsuit, the USDA issued a decision to disqualify Express Stop from participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on March 22. The USDA claims Express was disqualified from participating in SNAP because of alleged acts of trafficking, the suit states. The plaintiff claims that no evidence of trafficking was produced and that Express Stop was not permitted to respond to the charges.
Rosenstengel
The plaintiff claims the USDA actually terminated Express Stop's participation in the program due to discrimination against the owners, who are of the Islamic faith, and because of their middle eastern heritage.
The suit states that the USDA's decision to disqualify Express Stop from SNAP has impacted its business, since many of the store's customers utilize SNAP benefits to purchase groceries.
Express Stop is requesting that the court set aside the USDA's decision and reverse its disqualification from participating in the SNAP program, along with any other relief the court deems proper. The plaintiff is represented by attorney Jay L. Kanzler Jr. of Witzel, Kanzler & Dimmitt, LLC.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:22-CV-00659-MAB