Judges Order SNAP Funds From Trump Administration

Two federal judges in New England ordered the Trump administration and USDA to tap contingency emergency funds to continue SNAP payments during the federal government shutdown, issuing the rulings just hours or days before benefits were due to lapse. The orders affect millions nationwide and direct the department to use its roughly $5 billion reserve, which officials say is unlikely to be sufficient to fully fund SNAP through the end of next month. Even if contingency funds are tapped, officials and experts warn there will likely be delays of several days before EBT cards are reloaded, and the administration could appeal. Meanwhile, food banks, pantries and community groups in states including New Jersey, New York and Florida have expanded distributions as demand surges. Advocates urged Congress to resolve the shutdown as lawmakers traded blame over disruptions to benefits.