Federal Judge Overrules Trump Administration, Orders SNAP Benefits Payment Amid Shutdown
A US District Court judge in Massachusetts has issued a ruling that forces the Trump administration to continue paying next month's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, despite the ongoing federal government shutdown. The decision comes after New York Attorney General Letitia James and 24 other states, along with the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit against the administration.
In her statement, Attorney General James called the ruling a major victory for vulnerable families who rely on SNAP to survive, saying that "millions of families" are affected by the shutdown. The Trump administration had previously stated that it would not issue benefits starting November 1 due to the shutdown and claimed that it could not use contingency funds to cover costs.
However, US District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the administration must use available funds, including contingency dollars worth $6 billion, to continue paying benefits. While this amount is not sufficient to cover a full month of benefits for 42 million Americans who rely on the program, Talwani instructed the administration to use additional discretionary funds "to avoid any reductions."
It remains unclear how quickly the payments will be distributed and whether there will be a delay in recipients receiving their benefits. Payments are staggered throughout the month, which adds to the uncertainty faced by families who rely on SNAP.
The decision has been welcomed by state officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, who said that no state should have to sue the federal government "to ensure families can put food on the table." The administration has until Monday to determine whether it will use only contingency funds and offer reduced benefits or make full SNAP payments.
The ruling is seen as a significant victory for advocates, including Kanchana Suggu of United Way of New York City, who said that her organization is working to ensure no New Yorkers go hungry despite the shutdown. The impact of the delay in SNAP payments will likely be felt by many families, particularly those with limited means, who already face uncertainty about their ability to access essential services during the shutdown.
A US District Court judge in Massachusetts has issued a ruling that forces the Trump administration to continue paying next month's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, despite the ongoing federal government shutdown. The decision comes after New York Attorney General Letitia James and 24 other states, along with the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit against the administration.
In her statement, Attorney General James called the ruling a major victory for vulnerable families who rely on SNAP to survive, saying that "millions of families" are affected by the shutdown. The Trump administration had previously stated that it would not issue benefits starting November 1 due to the shutdown and claimed that it could not use contingency funds to cover costs.
However, US District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the administration must use available funds, including contingency dollars worth $6 billion, to continue paying benefits. While this amount is not sufficient to cover a full month of benefits for 42 million Americans who rely on the program, Talwani instructed the administration to use additional discretionary funds "to avoid any reductions."
It remains unclear how quickly the payments will be distributed and whether there will be a delay in recipients receiving their benefits. Payments are staggered throughout the month, which adds to the uncertainty faced by families who rely on SNAP.
The decision has been welcomed by state officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, who said that no state should have to sue the federal government "to ensure families can put food on the table." The administration has until Monday to determine whether it will use only contingency funds and offer reduced benefits or make full SNAP payments.
The ruling is seen as a significant victory for advocates, including Kanchana Suggu of United Way of New York City, who said that her organization is working to ensure no New Yorkers go hungry despite the shutdown. The impact of the delay in SNAP payments will likely be felt by many families, particularly those with limited means, who already face uncertainty about their ability to access essential services during the shutdown.
this is what millions of ppl are facing rn & some ppl got the nerve 2 say we shouldnt have govt programs lol, like wut r they gonna do 2 help us out? btw i've been making my own jam from fresh grapes & it's literally the best thing i ever made 
gotta keep ur priorities straight during a shutdown
I'm so stoked that the courts are stepping in to protect people's food security 
. This decision is a major win for vulnerable families who can't afford to lose their SNAP benefits. It's crazy how the Trump administration thought it could just shut down the program, like, what about all those families with kids or elderly parents relying on it? 
. But let's be real, $6 billion isn't going to cover everyone's benefits for a full month 
. Still, better than nothing, right?
. Governors like Kathy Hochul and advocacy groups like United Way of New York City are making sure that no one gets left behind 
. Now we just gotta wait and see how it all plays out 
these fams gotta eat somehow, cant just stop gettin benefits cuz of some political drama 
and what's up with the admin tryin to use $6billion contingency fund like that? that's not even 1 month's worth of benefits for all those ppl affected 
. But let's get real, it's only because 24 states and DC sued them in court, which is basically what our gov't is supposed to do 
... not.
. I mean I get it, there's a lot of people affected by this shutdown and all, but come on can't they just work together for once? The fact that they had to sue the government to even receive their benefits is just ridiculous 
. And now we're talking about contingency funds like $6 billion which is barely enough to cover a month's worth of payments... what's going on with these people?! 
I'm like totally stoked that a judge is stepping in and making sure these people get what they need 
42 million Americans are counting on this program and it's not fair that they're being held hostage by the government's shutdown drama 
6 billion might not cover a whole month, but at least it's something, right? 
. And now there's all this uncertainty about when people will actually get their benefits, because of course there is 
where politicians are more concerned with playing politics than doing what's right for the most vulnerable among us 
.
The fact that some states had to take matters into their own hands by suing the admin is a bit concerning, but at least now we know there's someone looking out for these vulnerable families 
They got a point, though - 42 million people are relyin' on this program to get by 
. Judge Talwani's decision is a big win for families who need help puttin' food on the table 
.