Two federal judges issued rulings Friday requiring the Trump administration to tap emergency funds to maintain SNAP benefits, staving off a potential lapse for millions reliant on the program as the government shutdown stretches into its second month.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts ordered the administration to resume payments, stating in her decision that the suspension is unlawful. “It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency when there’s no money and a lot of people need their SNAP benefits,” Talwani said. She directed officials to detail by Monday how they plan to fund the program, whether fully or partially.
Shortly after, U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island ruled from the bench that the government must use contingency funds to cover benefits “as soon as possible” next month. Both judges emphasized the need to draw from the USDA’s roughly $5 billion reserve, which the administration had chosen not to utilize, reserving it instead for natural disasters.
The orders came in response to lawsuits filed by a coalition of 25 states, led by Democratic officials, arguing that halting benefits would lead to widespread hardship. “Because of USDA’s actions, SNAP benefits will be delayed for the first time since the program’s inception,” the states claimed in their filing. They further contended that “Shutting off SNAP benefits will cause deterioration of public health and well-being.”
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins pushed back, attributing the impasse to Democrats’ refusal to compromise. She described their Senate filibuster as a “disgusting dereliction of duty.”
The shutdown, now on day 31, stems from a deadlock over healthcare subsidies and border security measures, with Republicans accusing Senate Democrats of obstructionism. House Republicans, including Rep. Mark Alford of Missouri, have repeatedly highlighted this, labeling it the “#SchumerShutdown” in social media posts and statements. Alford noted that SNAP was fully funded back in September, before the stalemate escalated.
Critics on X have decried the rulings as overreach by Democrat-appointed judges—both Talwani and McConnell were nominated by former President Obama—potentially part of a broader pattern of judicial interference aimed at thwarting President Trump’s push for accountable government spending. One user called them “Democrat surrogate judges” stepping in to bail out the party, urging the administration to disregard the orders.
The Justice Department has not yet indicated if it will appeal the decisions to higher courts. Meanwhile, the USDA had warned on its website that “[T]he well has run dry,” signaling no benefits would issue November 1 without intervention.
This development arrives amid warnings from food banks and advocates about the ripple effects on vulnerable populations, though some conservatives argue it perpetuates dependency on federal handouts at the expense of emergency preparedness. As the shutdown drags on, questions linger about whether these court-mandated expenditures will deplete reserves needed for genuine crises, like hurricanes or floods.
For now, the rulings ensure continuity for the 42 million Americans on SNAP, but they also spotlight the deep divisions in Washington, where entrenched interests appear determined to resist efforts to rein in expansive welfare programs.
Food stamps are NOT a right. All of the illegal and a large part of the lazy stupes on food stamps should be forced to work. And if the food stamp scammers can’t find jobs, let’s put them to work alongside Diddy cleaning out prisoners’ underpants in the prison laundry.
https://www.cf.org/news/doj-probes-black-lives-matter/?ht-comment-id=29353299
2 Thessalonians 3:10
where does any judge have the authority. these “kings” need to start being ignored and impeached. the house should start spending all their time impeaching these morons until they get the point. or john roberts could tell them to stop.