Federal Judges Block Trump Administration from Suspending Food Aid for Millions of Americans.
Two federal judges have issued back-to-back rulings, blocking the Trump administration's plan to suspend food aid for millions of Americans during the ongoing government shutdown. The decision was made in separate cases brought by a group of US cities, non-profit organizations, and a trade union, as well as by Democratic attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia.
The USDA had planned to suspend payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), also known as food stamps, on November 1st, putting millions of low-income households at risk of food insecurity and financial hardship. However, a federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the administration's plan, while a judge in Massachusetts gave the administration until Monday to say whether it would partly pay for the benefits with contingency funds or fund them fully with additional funds.
The Trump administration has maintained that the USDA lacks authority to pay for the program during the shutdown, despite having available funds. The president had tweeted earlier this week, stating that he did not want Americans to go hungry and instructing his lawyers to ask the court to clarify how they can legally fund Snap as soon as possible.
Critics have argued that the administration's decision to suspend Snap benefits is wrong and unlawful, as the USDA still has funds available to fulfill its obligation to fund the program. The plaintiffs in the civil case being heard in Rhode Island are represented by the liberal legal advocacy group Democracy Forward, which argued that the federal government's decision was wrong and that contingency funds could be used to avoid suspending Snap benefits.
The administration had warned that using emergency reserves to fund Snap would be "operationally fraught" and might leave families with less than half their normal monthly allotment. However, a recent report released by the USDA revealed that it has billions of federal dollars left, including emergency funds specifically marked for Snap.
The decision is likely to face appeals, but in the meantime, states such as Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Hawaii, and Minnesota have announced plans to tap state and local funds to provide food aid and assist food banks. The governors of New York, Delaware, Oregon, and Virginia have declared the looming crisis a state of emergency, while states are setting aside millions to help offset the lapse of federal benefits.
In California, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has deployed the national guard under his command to support food banks and announced $80m in state support to fill the Snap gap. This decision underscores a broader strategy during the shutdown, where Trump has selectively reprogrammed federal funds to protect priorities central to his political agenda while allowing other programs like Snap to starve.
The outcome of this ruling highlights the critical role that federal judges play in protecting vulnerable populations during times of crisis, such as government shutdowns. As millions of Americans face the possibility of going hungry due to the suspension of food aid, it remains to be seen how the administration will proceed with funding the program.
Two federal judges have issued back-to-back rulings, blocking the Trump administration's plan to suspend food aid for millions of Americans during the ongoing government shutdown. The decision was made in separate cases brought by a group of US cities, non-profit organizations, and a trade union, as well as by Democratic attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia.
The USDA had planned to suspend payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), also known as food stamps, on November 1st, putting millions of low-income households at risk of food insecurity and financial hardship. However, a federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the administration's plan, while a judge in Massachusetts gave the administration until Monday to say whether it would partly pay for the benefits with contingency funds or fund them fully with additional funds.
The Trump administration has maintained that the USDA lacks authority to pay for the program during the shutdown, despite having available funds. The president had tweeted earlier this week, stating that he did not want Americans to go hungry and instructing his lawyers to ask the court to clarify how they can legally fund Snap as soon as possible.
Critics have argued that the administration's decision to suspend Snap benefits is wrong and unlawful, as the USDA still has funds available to fulfill its obligation to fund the program. The plaintiffs in the civil case being heard in Rhode Island are represented by the liberal legal advocacy group Democracy Forward, which argued that the federal government's decision was wrong and that contingency funds could be used to avoid suspending Snap benefits.
The administration had warned that using emergency reserves to fund Snap would be "operationally fraught" and might leave families with less than half their normal monthly allotment. However, a recent report released by the USDA revealed that it has billions of federal dollars left, including emergency funds specifically marked for Snap.
The decision is likely to face appeals, but in the meantime, states such as Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Hawaii, and Minnesota have announced plans to tap state and local funds to provide food aid and assist food banks. The governors of New York, Delaware, Oregon, and Virginia have declared the looming crisis a state of emergency, while states are setting aside millions to help offset the lapse of federal benefits.
In California, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has deployed the national guard under his command to support food banks and announced $80m in state support to fill the Snap gap. This decision underscores a broader strategy during the shutdown, where Trump has selectively reprogrammed federal funds to protect priorities central to his political agenda while allowing other programs like Snap to starve.
The outcome of this ruling highlights the critical role that federal judges play in protecting vulnerable populations during times of crisis, such as government shutdowns. As millions of Americans face the possibility of going hungry due to the suspension of food aid, it remains to be seen how the administration will proceed with funding the program.
, suspendin food aid 4 millons americans? thats just wicked! i mean, dont get me wrong, ppl can find ways to make ends meet but some people are literally strugglin 2 survive. and now ur sayin the usda has billions of dollars lyin around & u cant pay for snap? that dont add up 
.
. its good 2 know we have ppl watchin out 4 us especially during tough times. so lets keep our fingers crossed 4 dem to hold firm on dis one 
so like literally what's gonna happen now?? these federal judges just saved the food stamps for millions of ppl who were supposed 2 get cut off cuz of this stupid government shutdown 
i think its super unfair that trump is trying 2 do this 2 people who are already struggling, like whats next?? 
This is insane ... 22 states and DC are like "peace out" on suspending food aid for millions of Americans... meanwhile Trump's all over Twitter saying he doesn't want anyone to go hungry . Like what does that even mean? Is it just a tweet? The USDA has actual funds to pay for the program, but noooo they're gonna leave people hanging. States are stepping up with state and local funding, which is awesome, I guess? But this is still super concerning...
! It's a total bummer that the Trump admin thought it was cool to put people on the line like this 
. I mean, come on, they have billions of dollars set aside for programs like SNAP and still want to suspend it? 
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. What's next, suspending healthcare for people just because of a shutdown? 
The USDA had all these emergency funds and still chose to put people in this situation... it's like they're not even trying anymore 
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! This ruling shows us that judges can be real game-changers, especially when it comes to issues like food security 
. I just hope the admin doesn't try to appeal this and mess with people's lives again 
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! The fact that some governors are deploying the national guard to help with food banks is just incredible 
. This shows us that even in the face of a government shutdown, there are still people who care and want to make a difference 
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. Let's do this, America! 
. But seriously, this whole thing highlights how messed up our system can be during times of crisis. Judges have got to step in and make sure people aren't getting left behind 
.