"Two federal judges issued back-to-back rulings on Friday in separate cases ordering the Trump administration to use contingency funds to continue paying for food stamps during the government shutdown. A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday afternoon blocked the Trump administration from suspending all food aid for millions of Americans, in a case brought by a group of US cities, non-profit organizations and a trade union."
"Without intervention, the US Department of Agriculture said it planned to suspend payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as Snap or food stamps, on Saturday, 1 November, putting millions of low-income households that rely on the benefits at risk of food insecurity and financial hardship. John McConnell, a US district judge in Providence, issued a temporary restraining order in the Rhode Island case at the behest of those plaintiffs."
"They had argued that the US Department of Agriculture's suspension of Snap benefits due to kick in on Saturday was unlawful. Snap, the nation's largest anti-hunger initiative, provides assistance to nearly 42 million one in eight low-income Americans each month. The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits, as issuing food stamps costs the public purse between $8.5bn and $9bn every month."
Two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds to continue paying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits during the government shutdown. A Rhode Island judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing suspension of food aid in a suit by cities, non-profits and a union. A Massachusetts judge issued a similar ruling in a suit by 22 state attorneys general, the District of Columbia and three governors. The USDA had planned to suspend SNAP payments on 1 November, citing insufficient funds and monthly costs of about $8.5–$9 billion. The administration says it lacks authority to continue payments until Congress approves funding. President Trump criticized the rulings on Truth Social.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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