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Two federal judges have ordered the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tap more than $5 billion in contingency funds to keep food aid going amid the government shutdown. However, the rulings won't prevent millions of Americans from losing access to their SNAP benefits this weekend, per the LA Times.
In two separate rulings, issued in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the judges rejected the Trump administration’s argument that the USDA could not legally use its emergency reserves to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Both judges directed the agency to present a plan by Monday (November 3) for how it will distribute the money.
The rulings mark early victories for dozens of Democrat-led states that sued the Trump administration over the suspension of the nation's largest anti-hunger program. However, it's still unclear whether the USDA will issue partial or full payments and how quickly states can process them.
Benefits will remain on hold for nearly 42 million low-income Americans until at least Monday. State officials said that even with the court orders, it could take about a week for funds to reach benefit cards, leaving families struggling to afford food in the meantime.
Food banks nationwide are bracing for a surge in demand. California officials have allocated $80 million in state funds and activated the National Guard to help pack and distribute food, warning that millions could go hungry before federal benefits resume.
“The answer is no, unfortunately — families won’t see benefits right away,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. “There could be about a week where people are hungry and need food.”
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