By Mona Austin
The USDA has reversed plans to suspend SNAP for the month of November due to judges ruling the Trump Administration must use emergency reserve funds.
A coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration over its decision to halt Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments starting November 1, citing the shutdown and lack of funding.
The lawsuits argued that the USDA was legally obligated to continue providing benefits, even during a shutdown, by tapping into contingency funds.
Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled that the USDA must use its $4.65 billion emergency fund to provide partial benefits.
In response, the administration announced it would cover about 50% of eligible households’ SNAP allotments for November, but warned that the fund would be exhausted, risking another crisis in December.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a co-leader of the states that sued issued a statement saying the funds would not be readily available:
“This morning, we learned that the Trump Administration has decided, at long last and in the face of growing public pressure, to partially fund November SNAP benefits. This is an important development, but the reality is that SNAP benefits won’t become immediately available to recipients.
This lag is problematic and the result of President Trump's failure to follow the law until ordered to do so. In addition, today's announcement by the Trump Administration represents a moral failure. We are the richest country in the world, and the federal government could fully fund November SNAP benefits if it wanted to, said Recent images and videos of long lines at food pantries nationwide highlight the gravity of the current situation — we must continue to care for those in greatest need. My office remains focused on holding the Trump Administration accountable for its illegal actions.”
Tuesday on Truth Social, despite the judges ruling President Donald Trump stated that SNAP would not resume until the government is re-opened. The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitts said in the daily briefing that he was referring to the future.
This contradiction and the lack of clarity on the amounts and timing of SNAP distribution leave numerous questions. The emergency fund used for November is not enough to sustain full benefits, and without congressional action, December payments remain uncertain.
Some states, including Louisiana, New Mexico, Vermont, and Rhode Island, are exploring state-funded stopgaps to protect residents from food insecurity.
Recipients must wait for further details from the respective agencies on timing and amounts.