Two federal judges ruled that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) must continue allocating funds to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) despite the government shutdown, preventing an immediate freeze on benefits for more than 42 million Americans.
Reuters reports that Rhode Island, US District Judge John J. McConnell ordered the USDA to tap a $5.25 billion emergency fund and possibly a $23 billion reserve in order to keep the program active. He also wanted it done as soon as possible.
McConnell ruled, “There is no doubt … irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn’t already occurred … in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family.”
At the same time in Massachusetts, Judge Indira Talwani found that the USDA’s plan to suspend benefits was not correct and gave the agency until Monday to decide whether it will provide full or partial benefits for November.
According to AP News, Talwani wrote, “Defendants’ suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the Contingency Funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments.” She then added, “This court has now clarified that Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program.”
The USDA had warned that SNAP, which costs roughly $8.5–$9 billion per month and serves about one in eight Americans, would stop paying out from November 1 because there was no congressional funding available. Trump then came under fire because that meant that close to 42 million Americans were going to lose their SNAP benefit
Democratic-led states filed the suits, with municipalities and nonprofits also arguing the USDA still had available funds and was legally required to continue payments.
And yet, there was still a lack of consensus among the Trump administration.
#SNAP pic.twitter.com/bNCoIh1MXt
— Annie (@AnnieForTruth) October 31, 2025
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins defended the administration’s position, saying the contingency fund could only be used if the underlying appropriation was approved. She called claims that funds were available “a lie.”
Interestingly, the Trump administration has not yet indicated where they stand with the judges’ decisions. They also have not indicated whether they will appeal.
While the judges ordered continued funding, they acknowledged that benefit payments may still be delayed, due to state-by-state systems needing time to reload cards, even if the USDA moves quickly, reported AP News.
Food-banks and pantries in multiple states are aware of the possible crises. And, according to The Guardian, the governors of Delaware, Oregon, New York, have declared a state of emergency as millions faced missing benefits.
Believe it or not, I actually WANT my taxes to fund SNAP & Medicaid, not golf trips for millionaires & military tanks for war pic.twitter.com/XJLnCsHqdJ
— Drebae (@Drebae_) October 29, 2025
Kathy Hochul, New York’s governor, didn’t hold back her opinion. “Unlike Washington Republicans, I won’t sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table,” she said.
While the food aid safety net may be temporarily secured, low-income Americans are still not assured of food security. But as Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward noted, the court has seen their plight.
“The court’s ruling protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry,” she said.
