The US Department of Agriculture is rushing to comply with a federal court order directing it to release full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to nearly 42 million low income Americans by the end of Friday.
The directive, issued by the US District Court of Rhode Island on 6th November, overturned the Trump administration’s plan to partially fund food aid during the ongoing government shutdown the longest in US history.
In a memo sent to state & regional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administrators, US Department of Agriculture’s Deputy Under Secretary Patrick Penn confirmed that the agency is working toward implementing November 2025 full benefit issuances in compliance with the court order.
However, even as the department works to process payments, the administration has appealed the ruling, asking the 1st Circuit Court to suspend it.
The case, brought forward by a coalition of US cities & nonprofit organisations represented by Democracy Forward, argues that delaying full benefits would cause serious harm to millions of Americans dependent on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Plaintiffs stressed that the government has shown disregard for the suffering of 1 in 8 Americans during the lapse in funding, with food banks already overwhelmed & families forced to cut essential spending.
Judge John McConnell, who issued the order, ruled that the administration must fully fund the program immediately. The outcome of the appeal now hangs in the balance as millions await relief.
