Judges determined that the administration is required to use reserve funds to continue payments and demanded that the government submit a report on compliance with their rulings by Monday.
Previously, Donald Trump claimed on his social media that the federal government likely does not have the authority to continue payments during a shutdown, adding that "if the court provides the appropriate legal guidance, it would be an honor for him to ensure funding."
The SNAP program is designed to assist Americans with incomes not exceeding 130% of the federal poverty level, which is approximately $1,632 per month for an individual and $2,215 for a family of two. Currently, about 42 million citizens are covered by the program.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) had previously reported a lack of funds to fully finance the program, which costs $8.5-9 billion per month. The administration argued that without a budget from Congress, the agency does not have the authority to continue funding.
However, District Judge John McConnell in Providence stated that the decision not to use $5.25 billion from the reserve fund was incorrect and ordered the agency to allocate those funds "as soon as possible." In the event of a shortfall, the court allowed for the consideration of using another fund of $23 billion.
Judge Indira Talwani in Boston also issued a similar ruling on a lawsuit filed by 25 states and the District of Columbia, noting that the administration mistakenly cited a legal prohibition on the use of reserve funds.
It is worth noting that the shutdown, which is the suspension of federal government operations, began on October 1. This is the first instance since 2019 that government activities have been partially halted due to the lack of an approved budget.
