Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration To Pay Snap Benefits Out Of Contingency Fund

A Rhode Island national judge connected Friday ordered nan U.S. Department of Agriculture to administer money owed to recipients of nan Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program "as soon arsenic possible," conscionable 1 time earlier backing for SNAP was group to lapse.

U.S District Judge John McConnell's ruling from nan chair came soon aft different national judge successful a abstracted lawsuit said that nan Trump administration's scheme not to salary retired SNAP benefits opening connected Nov. 1 owed to nan ongoing shutdown was "unlawful" but stopped short of ordering nan Trump management to disperse funds.

Ruling successful favour of a group of cities and organization organizations that sued complete nan cuts, McConnell said that nan USDA must money SNAP connected Saturday utilizing money successful a contingency fund. But, he added that if nan section finds that nan money successful nan contingency money is insufficient, past nan agency must usage different backing sources to make those payments.

“There is nary uncertainty that nan six cardinal dollars successful contingency costs are appropriated costs that are without a uncertainty basal to transportation retired nan program’s operation,” McConnell said successful his oral ruling. “The shutdown of nan authorities done backing doesn’t do distant pinch SNAP. It conscionable does distant pinch nan backing of it. There could beryllium nary greater necessity than nan prohibition crossed nan committee of costs for nan program’s operations.”

McConnell added, “there is nary doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will statesman to hap if it hasn’t already occurred successful nan panic it has caused immoderate group astir nan readiness of backing for nutrient for their family."

McConnell addressed nan Trump administration's statement that contingency costs mightiness beryllium needed for different reasons successful nan adjacent future, for illustration successful nan aftermath of a hypothetical hurricane.

"It’s clear that erstwhile compared to nan millions of group that will spell without costs for nutrient versus nan agency’s desire not to usage contingency costs successful lawsuit there’s a hurricane need, nan balances of those equities intelligibly goes connected nan broadside of ensuring that group are fed,” nan national judge said.

NBC News reached retired to nan White House, nan U.S. Office of Management and Budget and USDA for comment.

In a abstracted ruling, a national judge successful Boston said Friday she wants further briefings earlier deciding if nan Agriculture Department has to usage emergency costs to proceed SNAP benefits for millions of Americans aft Democratic leaders sued nan agency.

“Plaintiffs person opinionated to bring this action and are apt to win connected their declare that Defendants’ suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful, Judge Indira Talwani wrote successful her finding.

“Where that suspension of benefits rested connected an erroneous building of nan applicable statutory provisions, nan tribunal will let Defendants to see whether they will authorize astatine slightest reduced SNAP benefits for November, and study backmost to nan tribunal nary later than Monday, November 3, 2025,” she wrote.

Talwani, of nan U.S. District Court for nan District of Massachusetts, said Thursday nan authorities can’t simply suspend benefits because it can’t spend to screen nan program.

Talwani said she wants to perceive backmost from nan management nary later than Monday, November 3, 2025.

On Tuesday, nan attorneys wide of 22 states and nan District of Columbia, arsenic good arsenic nan governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, sued nan U.S. Department of Agriculture, arguing that it is legally required to proceed providing SNAP benefits during nan authorities shutdown, arsenic agelong arsenic nan USDA has nan funding. They asked nan judge to compel nan agency to usage contingency costs appropriated by Congress.

The suit sought a impermanent restraining bid that would require nan agency to present SNAP benefits done November successful their states.

The USDA had said successful a message posted connected its website that benefits won’t beryllium issued connected EBT cards arsenic expected connected Nov. 1. Up to 42 cardinal Americans trust connected nan program.