Federal Judges Order Trump Administration to Resume SNAP Benefits as 42 Million Americans Face Food Aid Cutoff Amid Shutdown

Two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to resume funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest food aid program, as 42 million low-income Americans face losing benefits during the prolonged government shutdown now entering its 30th day.

The rulings came Friday, just one day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was set to freeze SNAP payments, saying it could no longer continue funding the program due to the ongoing shutdown. Both judges instructed the administration to use contingency or emergency funds to keep benefits flowing while the shutdown continues.

In Massachusetts, Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the Trump administration must determine by Monday whether it can pay at least partial SNAP benefits to millions of recipients. She acknowledged that without immediate action, many Americans would be left without food assistance as early as Saturday. Talwani ordered the Agriculture Department to use available emergency funds to continue SNAP, noting that other financial resources are legally accessible but leaving the amount and method of distribution to the administration’s discretion.

Federal Judges Order Trump Administration to Resume SNAP Benefits as 42 Million Americans Face Food Aid Cutoff Amid Shutdown

In a separate ruling from Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued a similar order requiring the government to continue paying for SNAP using emergency funds and to report to the court by Monday on its funding plan. “There is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will begin to occur — if it hasn’t already occurred — in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family,” Judge McConnell stated.

The decisions follow lawsuits filed by 25 Democratic-led states against the U.S. Department of Agriculture, challenging what would have been the first suspension of SNAP in U.S. history. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised the rulings, saying Trump “should not be weaponizing hunger.”

Despite the orders, it remains unclear how the rulings will be implemented or how long emergency funding can sustain the program. Analysts believe the Trump administration may appeal both decisions, which could delay relief for those relying on food assistance.

SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, supports about one in eight Americans and costs around $8 billion per month. It plays a crucial role in helping low-income families afford basic groceries. When the USDA warned in October that SNAP payments could end by November 1 if the shutdown continued, states, food banks, and recipients began scrambling for alternatives. Some states pledged to use their own funds to maintain temporary versions of the program.

To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of four must have a net annual income of no more than $31,000 after allowable expenses. The ongoing government shutdown, among the longest in U.S. history, stems from a political standoff over expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits. Democrats and Republicans continue to trade blame for the shutdown’s consequences, including the disruption of vital food assistance for millions of Americans.