Hours before a critical deadline, two judges determined on Friday that the federal government has to keep funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown. However, those relying on food aid come November 1st might still face delays.
This legal decision follows a month of unexpected developments since the shutdown began on October 1st. Initially, the USDA’s plan indicated that emergency funds would be utilized to maintain food assistance amid the shutdown. Yet, the Trump administration later disputed this position.
The Department of Agriculture, which manages SNAP, stated, “The bottom line is that the well has run dry. At this time, there are no benefits to be issued on November 1.”
In Rhode Island, a federal judge ruled that SNAP must access $5 billion in emergency funds to continue its operations. The problem is that SNAP benefits typically cost around $8 billion each month.
Democratic state attorneys general and governors contested the suspension of SNAP, advocating for the use of a separate $23 billion fund to ensure food aid for about 1 in 8 eligible Americans. The court granted the Trump administration some leeway regarding the decision to fully or partially fund the program in November.
The justices instructed the administration to provide a status update on its plans by Monday.
Uncertainty Surrounding November SNAP Benefits
Despite the court’s ruling that allows some funding for SNAP through November, uncertainty lingers.
First off, there’s a possibility that the judge’s decision could be appealed, potentially causing more delays.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell directed the USDA to disperse the funds “in a timely manner or as soon as possible,” but there’s still ambiguity about how quickly EBT cards could be reloaded once the funds are available. This process may take a week or two.
For households on SNAP, benefits usually automatically reload onto Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, although each state follows its own procedure. Some states distribute benefits in bulk based on recipients’ last names, case numbers, or Social Security numbers.
In Arizona, for instance, individuals with last names beginning with A or B can expect their benefits by the first of the month, while those whose last names start with Y or Z might not see new aid until the 13th. Other states, like Connecticut, have set schedules that release benefits to everyone in the first three days of the month.
This situation means many households are anticipating their EBT cards will be reloaded on Saturday, leading them to seek alternative food sources, even if it’s just for a day. Yet, some folks might have weeks before their next paycheck arrives, which could help ease their financial situation.
Moreover, it’s unclear if states will adhere to their regular schedules even if funds become accessible, since there’s a risk of running out of money before all recipients are served.
If the federal government opts to rely solely on the limited $5 billion emergency fund for SNAP, confusion may ensue, as this amount likely isn’t adequate to meet everyone’s needs by the end of November.
In its court filing, the Trump administration claimed that “a partial payment was never made, and there are justified reasons for this.” They added that states will have to recalibrate benefits based on the diminished available funds, a process that USDA predicts will involve significant changes and could take several weeks, if it can be done at all.
As of Friday afternoon, the USDA website had not provided updates regarding the next steps following the two rulings.
