US judge orders Trump administration to fully fund Snap benefits in November

A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration Thursday to find the money to fully fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap) benefits for November.

The ruling by US district judge John J McConnell Jr gave the Trump administration until Friday to make the payments through Snap, though it is unlikely the people that rely on it will see the money on the debit cards they use for groceries that quickly.

“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund Snap,” McConnell said. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial Snap payments and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”

The Trump administration said last month that it would not pay benefits at all for November because of the federal shutdown. Last week, two judges ordered the government to pay at least partial benefits using an emergency fund. It initially said it would cover half, but later said it would cover 65%.

The plaintiffs want the benefits to be fully funded.

The US Department of Agriculture said last month that benefits for November wouldn’t be paid because of the federal government shutdown. That set off a scramble by food banks, state governments and the nearly 42 million Americans who receive the aid to find ways to ensure access to groceries.

The program serves about one in eight Americans and is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net. It costs more than $8bn per month nationally.