BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge in Boston on Thursday will consider a motion that would require the Trump administration to continue funding the SNAP food aid program despite the government shutdown. The hearing before U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani comes just two days before the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to freeze SNAP payments due to the ongoing government halt.
SNAP, which supports around 41 million Americans, is a critical aspect of the nation’s social safety net. Knowledge of its impending suspension on November 1 has left states, food banks, and recipients scrambling for alternatives. Some state officials have indicated they might use their local resources to sustain similar programs temporarily.
In a legal challenge, Democratic attorneys general and governors from 25 states, along with the District of Columbia, argue that the Trump administration has a legal responsibility to keep the program funded. They assert that emergency funds, including a contingency fund of approximately $5 billion and another fund with roughly $23 billion, should be utilized to maintain program continuity.
The administration contends that it cannot deploy these funds to sustain SNAP amid the shutdown, opposing previous USDA statements on the matter. The program itself costs about $8 billion monthly and is designed to aid families in need, particularly those at or below the federal poverty threshold.
Beneficiaries typically face a lag in receiving reloaded food benefit cards after funding decisions, with the process taking up to two weeks. Legal representatives and advocates are waiting for the court's outcome, highlighting the urgency and necessity of maintaining SNAP accessibility to avoid further hardship for millions of Americans.
SNAP, which supports around 41 million Americans, is a critical aspect of the nation’s social safety net. Knowledge of its impending suspension on November 1 has left states, food banks, and recipients scrambling for alternatives. Some state officials have indicated they might use their local resources to sustain similar programs temporarily.
In a legal challenge, Democratic attorneys general and governors from 25 states, along with the District of Columbia, argue that the Trump administration has a legal responsibility to keep the program funded. They assert that emergency funds, including a contingency fund of approximately $5 billion and another fund with roughly $23 billion, should be utilized to maintain program continuity.
The administration contends that it cannot deploy these funds to sustain SNAP amid the shutdown, opposing previous USDA statements on the matter. The program itself costs about $8 billion monthly and is designed to aid families in need, particularly those at or below the federal poverty threshold.
Beneficiaries typically face a lag in receiving reloaded food benefit cards after funding decisions, with the process taking up to two weeks. Legal representatives and advocates are waiting for the court's outcome, highlighting the urgency and necessity of maintaining SNAP accessibility to avoid further hardship for millions of Americans.
