Two judges rule Trump admin must keep SNAP benefits in place as shutdown drags on

By Fox News · Fox News

A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to continue to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown, delivering near-term relief to roughly 42 million Americans who received the aid just hours before the funding was slated to dry up. The emergency order from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said the Trump administration must resume SNAP benefits, which were slated to expire Nov. 1, ruling that plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit are likely to succeed on their claims that the suspension of the benefits is unlawful. She ordered the government to provide the court no later than Monday, Nov. 3, with additional details on how it plans to keep the program funded, and whether the appropriated benefits must be distributed in full or in part. Moments later, a separate federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to continue paying for food stamps during the shutdown. U.S. District Judge John McConnell said the administration must tap its emergency funds to pay for the SNAP benefits "as soon as possible" next month. He issued the emergency order from the bench Friday during an emergency court hearing in Providence. STATES SUE TRUMP ADMIN OVER BILLIONS IN LOOMING CUTS TO SNAP, FOOD STAMPS Talwani heard arguments Thursday from the Trump administration and from a coalition of 25 Democratic governors and state attorneys general, who sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture over its refusal to keep SNAP benefits funded during the ongoing government shutdown. The benefits were slated to expire Nov. 1, marking the first time in 60 years that the program lapsed because of a government shutdown. Talwani seemed sympathetic to the states’ arguments on Thursday. "It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency when there’s no money and a lot of people need their SNAP benefits," she said in court, vowing to rule as soon as possible on the matter. She also agreed with the argument that the cuts t…