Federal Judge Orders Full SNAP Benefits for November
A federal judge in Rhode Island issued a ruling on Thursday, requiring the Trump administration to allocate funds to fully support SNAP benefits for November.
U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. mandated that the administration must process payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by Friday. However, it’s unlikely that the approximately 42 million Americans—about one in eight—who rely on these benefits will receive their usual funds immediately.
This decision stemmed from complaints made by cities and nonprofit organizations, arguing that the administration planned to distribute only 65% of the maximum benefit, which would leave some recipients without any assistance this month.
“The defendants didn’t consider the real-life impact of only partially funding SNAP,” McConnell stated. “They understood that these partial payments would be delayed and didn’t factor in how this delay would harm those who depend on these benefits.”
Judge McConnell was part of a panel of judges who ruled last week that the administration could not entirely forego November’s benefits due to the federal government shutdown.
A Rollercoaster Week for SNAP Recipients
Recently, the court’s ruling directed the government to tap into its emergency reserve fund, which holds $4.6 billion for November’s SNAP assistance. It also allowed the use of other funds to ensure full payments, which could range between $8.5 billion and $9 billion monthly.
The administration communicated on Monday that it wouldn’t utilize any extra funding, stating that Congress would need to allocate money for the program.
The following day, President Trump hinted at potentially cutting benefits unless Democrats in Congress agreed to lift the government shutdown. His spokesperson later remarked that some benefits had been distributed for November, but future payments could be jeopardized if the shutdown persisted.
In a recent court filing, the Department of Agriculture clarified that a further review concluded the maximum benefit for individuals would be limited to 65% of the usual amount.
During an event at the Greater Boston Food Bank in Massachusetts on Thursday morning, Democratic Governor Maura Healey expressed her frustration, stating, “There seem to be mixed messages from the Trump administration. Are we going to provide food assistance for Americans, or let them go hungry?”
