About 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits, which cost the government around $8 billion per month
A Rhode Island federal judge ruled yesterday that the Trump administration must immediately use contingency funds to continue distributing SNAP food assistance that helps feed 42 million Americans.
The judge’s ruling came as the regular funding is set to run out today amid the ongoing government shutdown.
The decision came minutes after, in a separate case, a Massachusetts federal judge found that the administration’s plan to halt SNAP payments was likely unlawful.
Several cities and nonprofits have sued the federal government for refusing to tap into emergency funds, arguing that SNAP effectively ceased to exist when Congress failed to renew its funding.
The emergency reserves, which amount to approximately $5.5 billion, will not be sufficient to run the program for even a month. SNAP costs the government $8 billion per month.