A US federal judge on 6th November delivered a major rebuke to President Donald Trump’s administration, ordering it to fully restore food aid for 42 million low income Americans by Friday 7th November.
The ruling blocks the administration’s plan to provide reduced benefits amid an ongoing government shutdown that has entered its 37th day, the longest in US history.
US District Judge John McConnell, presiding in Providence, Rhode Island, accused the administration of deliberately withholding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as food stamps, for political reasons.
He directed the US Department of Agriculture to release full payments immediately, warning that millions could otherwise face hunger.
“The evidence shows that people will go hungry, food pantries will be overburdened, & needless suffering will occur,” McConnell stated during a virtual hearing, emphasising that the government’s actions risked irreparable harm.
The Trump administration has appealed the decision, creating uncertainty over whether the full benefits will indeed be distributed on time.
The White House & US Department of Agriculture have yet to comment, while the Justice Department has blamed state governments which administer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at the local level for delays in processing reduced benefits.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides monthly assistance to households earning less than 130% of the federal poverty line.
For the 2026 fiscal year, maximum benefits were set at $298 for a single individual & $546 for a two-person household. The program typically costs between $8.5 to $9 billion monthly.
Earlier, the administration had indicated plans to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits entirely in November, citing a lack of congressional funding amid the budget deadlock.
However, McConnell & another federal judge in Boston ruled that the US Department of Agriculture must at least use $5.25 billion in emergency reserves to partially fund the program.
Despite the court’s guidance, the US Department of Agriculture chose to use only contingency funds, amounting to $4.65 billion after administrative deductions, to issue reduced payments.
This decision sparked widespread uncertainty among recipients, with states advising beneficiaries to budget cautiously & seek help from food banks until clarity is restored.
Judge McConnell’s latest ruling now compels the administration to fully fund the aid, framing the issue as one of basic human need rather than political negotiation.
Whether the court’s order will hold after appeal remains to be seen, but the verdict has drawn national attention to the growing human toll of the prolonged shutdown.
