NOTICE THAT IT IS DEMOCRATS FIGHTING TO FEED HUNGRY AMERICANS!

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BREAKING: Judge Orders Trump Administration to Use Contingency Funds to Cover SNAP

Stunning rulings from multiple judges this afternoon.

Aaron Parnas Oct 31

In a stunning, last-minute ruling this afternoon, a federal judge in Rhode Island blocked the Trump Administration’s plan to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for roughly 42 million Americans, ensuring that millions of families will continue to receive vital food assistance next month despite the ongoing government shutdown.

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The emergency decision by U.S. District Judge John McConnell halts the administration’s attempt to freeze the nation’s largest anti-hunger program and compels the government to use contingency funds to keep SNAP operating through November. The ruling represents a major setback for the White House’s efforts to curtail spending amid the shutdown and a critical lifeline for one in eight Americans who rely on the program.

At nearly the same hour in Boston, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a related opinion finding that the administration’s refusal to release SNAP contingency funds was likely unlawful. While she stopped short of issuing an immediate order requiring partial payments, Judge Talwani signaled that the USDA has both the authority and the obligation to sustain the program. She demanded a government response by Monday on whether it intends to do so.

“It’s hard for me to understand that this is not an emergency,” Talwani said during the hearing. “When there is no money and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits, the government must act lawfully and equitably.”

Read her order here.

A Historic Crisis for America’s Safety Net

Today’s rulings mark a pivotal moment in the escalating standoff over SNAP funding. This is the first time in the program’s history that the nation has faced the real possibility of benefits running out entirely.

SNAP, which provides about $8 billion in monthly nutrition aid, is a cornerstone of the federal safety net, helping low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities put food on the table. Reports in October warning that SNAP funds could dry up by November 1 triggered alarm across the country, as states, food banks, and advocacy organizations scrambled to prepare for a potential lapse in aid.

Some states even announced emergency measures to temporarily fund their own SNAP equivalents, an extraordinary step underscoring the depth of the crisis.

The administration argued it could not use a $5 billion contingency reserve to sustain benefits, reversing a pre-shutdown USDA plan to tap those funds. The plaintiffs, a coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia, countered that not only could those funds be used, but that federal law requires it, citing an additional $23 billion reserve that could be legally accessed to keep the program running.

The Stakes Ahead

While today’s decision ensures that some level of benefits will be paid next month, the exact amount and duration remain unclear. What is certain is that the ruling has once again positioned the courts as a critical check on executive power and as a guardian of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.

This fight is far from over. The outcome will shape how future administrations navigate shutdowns and determine whether millions of Americans can depend on the programs that keep them fed.