Federal Judges Order Continuation Food Aid Amid U.S. Government Shutdown

Two federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have ruled that President Donald Trump's administration cannot suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown. The rulings require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use its $5.25 billion contingency fund to continue payments to millions of low-income Americans who rely on food assistance. Judges John McConnell and Indira Talwani rejected the administration's claims that it lacks authority to use these funds during the shutdown, calling the withholding of aid "arbitrary" and legally unjustified. The Trump administration has argued that the contingency funds require congressional approval and that funds are insufficient to cover full benefits, but the courts ordered the government to find a way to keep benefits flowing. President Trump responded by blaming Democrats for the shutdown and instructing his lawyers to seek court clarification on how to legally fund SNAP. Meanwhile, states like Vermont have moved to provide stopgap funding to ensure food aid continues as legal and administrative processes proceed.