Food Aid Must Continue in Shutdown, 2 US Judges Rule

BOSTON - The Trump administration cannot suspend food aid used by more than 40 million low-income Americans amid the ongoing US government shutdown, two federal judges have ruled.

The decisions, issued within moments of each other by judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, said the government must pay for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits using emergency funds. The SNAP program works by giving people reloadable debit cards that they can use to buy essential grocery items.

The US Department of Agriculture announced this week it won't distribute food assistance funds in November because of the shutdown, saying "the well has run dry".

The Massachusetts judge said the administration must access contingency funding to pay the benefits and has until Monday to report back to the court on whether they will authorize at least partial benefits for November.
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