Trump administration blocked from suspending Snap benefits for millions of Americans

A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday afternoon blocked the Trump administration from suspending all food aid for millions of Americans amid the ongoing government shutdown.

John McConnell, a US district judge in Providence, issued a temporary restraining order at the behest of a group of US cities, nonprofit organizations and a trade union, which argued the US Department of Agriculture’s suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as Snap or food stamps, that was due to kick in on Saturday, was unlawful.

The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits to 42 million low-income Americans, as issuing food stamps costs the public purse between $8.5bn and $9bn every month.

The Trump administration contends the agency lacks authority to pay them until Congress passes a spending bill that will ending the enduring government shutdown that began on 1 October.

The plaintiffs in the civil case being heard in Rhode Island are represented by the liberal legal advocacy group Democracy Forward. The group argued that the federal government’s decision to suspend the nutritional benefits was wrong and unlawful, as the USDA still had funds available to fulfill its obligation to fund the Snap program.

Such available funding includes $5.25bn in contingency funds that Congress has previously provided for the USDA to use when “necessary to carry out program operations”, the plaintiffs said.

Aside from the contingency funds, the plaintiffs argued that a separate fund with around $23bn in it could also be utilized to avoid what would be an unprecedented suspension of Snap benefits.

A federal judge in Massachusetts is considering a similar case where plaintiffs want the government to be ordered to use emergency funds to maintain food stamps during the shutdown, helping the millions who rely on the benefits to stave off food insecurity.

That case involves a challenge brought by the Democratic attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia and three governors who sued the administration.

More details soon…

Reuters contributed reporting.