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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Two New England judges have ruled that the federal government must continue to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as the shutdown continues.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was set to freeze SNAP funding on Nov. 1, which costs roughly $8 billion per month. Democratic officials in more than two dozen states sued the Trump Administration over the plan, saying the government should tap into a $5 billion contingency fund meant for the program. The government has argued that isn't possible.
On Friday, Rhode Island federal Judge John McConnell directed the Trump Administration to use the contingency funds. Meantime, Boston federal Judge Indira Talwani said the states that sued the Trump Administration are likely to succeed in arguing the USDA's suspension is illegal. Talwani wants the government to respond by Monday on whether they will partially pay for November benefits with contingency funds or fully fund them.
Despite the rulings, it is unlikely that SNAP beneficiaries will have any available funds on their debit cards on Nov. 1, as the process can take more than a week according to the Associated Press. With roughly one out of every eight Americans using SNAP, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu slammed the Trump Administration in a press conference on Friday.
"The President of the United States is using hunger as a political tool. With SNAP benefits set to expire tomorrow, Donald Trump's lawyers came to Boston yesterday to block $5 billion in emergency food aid," said Wu.
Republicans have argued that any loss of SNAP benefits should be blamed on the Democrats, who they have also blamed for the larger shutdown. The Trump-Administration is expected to appeal the rulings.
WBZ's Madison Rogers (@MadisonWBZ) reports.