Judges Order Continued SNAP Funding During Shutdown

Two federal judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts — John J. McConnell and Indira Talwani — ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown, directing the USDA to tap contingency/emergency reserves to keep benefits flowing. The rulings came just before a planned Nov. 1 freeze and required the government to report back by Monday on how it will comply, while allowing the administration some leeway to fund benefits partially or in full. The administration has argued it is legally barred from using the roughly $5–6 billion contingency fund even as SNAP costs about $8–9 billion a month, meaning the reserve would cover only part of November’s benefits. Judges also ordered continuation of prior work‑requirement waivers and said additional funding sources could be tapped, but state officials, food banks and charities warned that administrative delays could still leave some recipients waiting days or weeks for payments. The rulings averted an immediate nationwide cutoff for roughly 42 million recipients but left unresolved legal and logistical questions about the scope and timing of payments.