US judge blocks Trump administration from halting Snap benefits

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from halting food aid used by more than 40 million low-income Americans amid the ongoing US government shutdown.

A Rhode Island judge said on Friday that the plan to suspend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or Snap, is likely unlawful, and issued a temporary restraining order at the behest of the plaintiffs.

That order came moments after a federal judge in Massachusetts said the administration is required by law to pay at least partial benefits.

The US Department of Agriculture said this week that the food assistance funds will not be distributed in November due to the shutdown, arguing the “the well has run dry”.

Republicans and Democrats have traded blame for the federal shutdown, which will soon enter its second month, and there has not been any meaningful progress toward a deal.

The Snap programme works by giving people reloadable debit cards that they can use to buy essential grocery items.

A family of four on average receives $715 (£540) per month, which breaks down to a little less than $6 (£4.50) per day, per person.

The states administer the benefits, using money from the federal government, which has been unfunded and shut down since 1 October.

Several states have pledged to use their own funds to cover any shortfall, however the federal government has warned that they will not be reimbursed.

Half of US states sued the Trump administration over its plans to halt funding, hoping to force it to use a roughly $6bn (£4.5bn) emergency contingency fund for Snap, also known as food stamps.

In that case, the Massachusetts judge said the administration must access the contingency funding and had until Monday to report back to the court on whether they will authorise at least partial benefits for November.

Separately in Rhode Island, a lawsuit was brought by a number of US cities and NGOs who sued over what they called the “unlawful suspension” of the programme.

On Friday, the group said in a statement that the ruling “is a lifeline for millions of families, seniors, and veterans who depend on SNAP to put food on the table”.

“It reaffirms a fundamental principle: no administration can use hunger as a political weapon.”