**Trump Administration to Partially Fund SNAP Following Court Rulings Amid Government Shutdown**
President Trump’s administration announced Monday that it will partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) after two federal judges ordered the government to keep the food aid program running. This decision comes after the administration had planned to freeze SNAP payments starting November 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
SNAP, which serves about 1 in 8 Americans, is a critical component of the nation’s social safety net. The program costs approximately $8 billion per month nationwide and provides an average monthly benefit of about $190 per person. However, it remains unclear how much beneficiaries will receive under the partial funding plan or when those benefits will appear on the debit cards used to purchase groceries. The process of reloading SNAP cards involves coordination among state and federal agencies, as well as vendors, and can take up to two weeks in some states.
Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), responsible for overseeing SNAP—the nation’s largest food assistance program—announced that November benefits would not be paid because of the shutdown. This prompted concerns among nearly 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP, along with state governments and food banks, who scrambled to find alternative ways to ensure food access.
In response, many states have increased support to food banks, and some have established systems to reload SNAP benefit cards with state funds. The shutdown and funding freeze also led to multiple lawsuits across various states.
**Court Rulings Prompt Funding Decision**
Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island issued separate rulings last Friday, ordering the government to use at least one contingency fund holding approximately $5 billion in order to continue funding SNAP, at least partially. The program’s total monthly cost, including benefits and administration, exceeds $8 billion.
The courts gave the administration the option to either fully fund the program using additional funds or partially fund it by recalculating benefits. They set a Monday deadline for the government to make a decision.
Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of Providence, Rhode Island, stated that if the government opts for full funding, payments must be made Monday. For partial funding, which requires recalculating benefits, the deadline is Wednesday. However, McConnell noted that beneficiaries might not see the payments immediately, as card reloading can take up to two weeks in some states.
In a related order, McConnell also ruled that all existing waivers of work requirements—for older adults, veterans, and others—must continue to be honored, reversing USDA’s termination of these waivers during the shutdown.
**Political and Legal Reactions**
President Trump took to social media on Friday, stating he does “NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT.” He added that he instructed government lawyers to prepare SNAP payments as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Democratic attorneys general and governors from 25 states and the District of Columbia challenged the administration’s plan to pause SNAP. They argue that the government has a legal obligation to maintain the program in their jurisdictions. Cities and nonprofits also joined in filing lawsuits.
The USDA maintains a $5 billion contingency fund for SNAP, though the Trump administration initially reversed an earlier plan to utilize this fund to keep the program running. Democratic officials have contended that the administration could access an additional separate fund totalling about $23 billion.
**Impact on Beneficiaries and State Responses**
Advocates and SNAP recipients warn that halting food aid forces difficult choices between purchasing groceries and paying other essential bills.
Most states have responded by increasing or expediting funding for food banks or developing innovative methods to reload at least some SNAP benefits onto debit cards. For example, Rhode Island officials reported that SNAP beneficiaries who also receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) payments received the equivalent of one-fourth of their typical SNAP benefit this past Saturday.
In Delaware, officials have informed recipients that their benefits are unlikely to be available before November 7.
**SNAP Eligibility and Demographics**
To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a household’s net income, after certain deductions, cannot exceed the federal poverty line. For a family of four, this threshold is approximately $32,000 per year.
In 2023, SNAP assisted nearly 42 million people, about two-thirds of whom were families with children, highlighting the program’s critical role in supporting vulnerable Americans.
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*This ongoing situation underscores the importance of SNAP in the social safety net and the challenges posed by political and budgetary impasses. Stay tuned for further updates as the government navigates funding SNAP during the shutdown.*
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-11-03/trump-administration-says-snap-will-be-partially-funded-after-judges-rulings
