Federal Judge Orders Full SNAP Benefits Amid Government Shutdown

A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November, reversing an earlier plan to provide only partial payments due to the ongoing government shutdown. U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. criticized the administration for not considering the severe impact on the 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP, especially children.

The administration quickly filed an appeal, maintaining that only Congress can allocate the necessary funds and that remaining reserves were needed for other programs. Despite the appeal, several states, including California, Oregon, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, have begun issuing full SNAP benefits to residents. Some recipients have already received the funds on their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards.

The legal challenge was initiated by a coalition of cities, nonprofits, and several Democratic state officials, concerned that partial payments could result in some recipients receiving nothing. Judge McConnell emphasized that the administration failed to comply with a previous court order to issue payments efficiently and by a set deadline.

The administration had initially proposed a partial payment, then recalculated it to 65%, amid threats to cut SNAP entirely if Democrats did not reopen the government. The controversy highlights the broader clash over government funding and the political use of essential services like food assistance during shutdowns.

The timeline for full benefit distribution remains uncertain due to state system delays. However, officials in more than a half-dozen states confirmed that some SNAP recipients already were issued full November payments on Friday.