A federal judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to fully fund food assistance for 42 million low-income Americans by Friday for November, blocking its plan to issue reduced benefits during the ongoing government shutdown.
The ruling was issued by US District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, following a virtual hearing in a lawsuit filed by nonprofits and city governments. The plaintiffs sought to stop the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) from suspending payments under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.
McConnell, an Obama appointee, criticized the Trump administration’s plan to provide partial funding, saying it violated a previous court order that required benefits to be distributed in full or part by Wednesday.
“The evidence shows that people will go hungry, food pantries will be overburdened, and needless suffering will occur,” McConnell said. “That’s what irreparable harm here means.”
Administration’s plan under fire
The Trump administration had initially said that no SNAP benefits would be paid in November because of the federal shutdown. Following two earlier court rulings, it proposed covering half the benefits, later increasing the figure to 65% after catching an error in its earlier calculations.
However, the judge found the administration’s actions insufficient and noncompliant with his earlier directive.
McConnell said the administration “plowed ahead with a plan to make a partial payment without addressing a known problem,” noting that some states could take “weeks or months” to process the reduced payments.
Plaintiffs demand full benefits
The lawsuit, backed by nonprofits and several cities, demanded that the USDA fully fund November’s food aid, warning that any shortfall would leave millions struggling to afford groceries.
The SNAP program, which supports roughly one in eight Americans, costs the federal government more than $8 billion per month.
USDA response
In a late Wednesday court filing, the USDA acknowledged errors in its earlier funding plan and said beneficiaries would now receive up to 65% of their usual assistance, rather than half.
Despite this adjustment, McConnell’s order now compels the administration to fully restore SNAP payments for November, marking another legal setback for the White House amid the protracted shutdown.