Two U.S. federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to release billions of dollars in contingency funds to maintain food assistance for millions of Americans affected by the prolonged government shutdown. The rulings, handed down Friday in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, came in response to lawsuits aimed at stopping the administration from halting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments, also known as food stamps. Without judicial intervention, SNAP benefits were set to stop over the weekend, threatening food security for millions of low-income households.
The judges’ decisions compel the government to use $5.25 billion in existing contingency funds to ensure November payments are made. They also instructed the administration to appear in court Monday to detail how it intends to comply. Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island criticized the administration’s earlier refusal to use the funds, calling it “unjustified” and warning that families were already facing fear and hardship over the possible loss of food benefits. His ruling emphasized that any delay in distributing aid would cause “irreparable harm.”
President Donald Trump responded on social media Friday night, asserting that he had directed government lawyers to cooperate with the courts to release the money “as quickly as possible.” He also used the post to blame Democrats for the shutdown and any associated delays in food assistance. The administration had previously argued that it lacked the authority to release the funds during the shutdown, an assertion now challenged by the federal court orders.
Despite the rulings, logistical hurdles remain. Because states and their vendors need several days to process and distribute benefits, many recipients will still miss their food aid payments on Saturday. Officials are now working against the clock to activate the funds and minimize the disruption. The SNAP program, which supports Americans earning less than 130% of the federal poverty level, serves as a lifeline for millions struggling to afford groceries each month.
Judge McConnell underscored the human toll of the administration’s inaction, saying that uncertainty about food access had already caused distress among families reliant on SNAP. His ruling ensures that the Department of Agriculture must act “timely, or as soon as possible,” to release the funds and resume aid distribution. As the shutdown drags past its first month, the court’s intervention represents a critical effort to prevent widespread hunger among low-income Americans caught in the political standoff.
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