Providence, Rhode Island — A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release full November funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by Friday, after millions of Americans were left waiting for food assistance due to partial payments and administrative delays caused by the government shutdown.
U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. sharply criticized the administration during a Thursday hearing, saying officials had failed to meet court deadlines or provide full benefits on time.
“The court was clear that the administration had to either make the full payment by this past Monday, or it must expeditiously resolve the administrative and clerical burdens it described in its papers,” McConnell said. “But under no circumstances shall the partial payments be made later than Wednesday, November 5th, 2025. The record is clear that the administration did neither.”
McConnell accused the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) of acting “arbitrarily and capriciously,” saying the agency created its own administrative hurdles that delayed benefits. “USDA cannot now cry that it cannot get timely payments to beneficiaries for weeks or months because states are not prepared to make partial payments,” he said.
The Justice Department has appealed McConnell’s ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals, according to court filings.
Partial SNAP Payments Leave Millions Waiting
Earlier this week, USDA announced it would release only half of November’s SNAP benefits, using roughly $4 billion from a $5.5 billion contingency fund. The department said states were struggling to process partial payments due to administrative challenges.
Read more: Judge Orders Trump Administration to Release Full SNAP Benefits by Friday Amid Ongoing ShutdownThe SNAP program, which serves nearly 42 million Americans and typically costs around $9 billion per month, saw its payments lapse on Saturday because of the ongoing government shutdown.
Anti-hunger advocates and several states sued the federal government, warning that partial payments would lead to widespread food insecurity and strain on local food banks.
In court, USDA lawyers argued that states lacked the systems to quickly distribute benefits. But advocates said the administration could have avoided delays entirely by approving full funding from the start.
Judge Orders Use of Section 32 Funds
In his latest order, McConnell directed USDA to draw additional https://flowlessknowledge.com/money from the Section 32 fund — a $23 billion reserve typically used for school lunch and child nutrition programs — to fully cover the month’s SNAP payments.
The agency had previously refused to tap the fund, arguing that doing so would jeopardize school meal programs. But McConnell dismissed that claim as “contrary to the evidence and implausible.”
“States need only about $4 billion from that fund to fully pay November SNAP benefits,” McConnell said. “That would leave around $19 billion to cover child nutrition programs through at least May. It is implausible that such a transfer would be a permanent loss.”
The judge added that failing to act would have devastating consequences:
“Without SNAP funding for the month of November, 16 million children are immediately at risk of going hungry. This should never happen in America.”
USDA Pushes Back as Advocates Declare Victory
A USDA spokesperson criticized the decision, saying it “compromises not only SNAP, but farm programs, food inspection, animal and plant disease protection, rural development, and protecting federal lands.”
The Office of Management and Budget declined to comment on the ruling.
Skye Perryman, CEO of the legal advocacy group representing plaintiffs, hailed the ruling as a “major victory” for families.
“This immoral and unlawful decision by the administration has shamefully delayed SNAP payments, taking food off the table of hungry families,” Perryman said. “We shouldn’t have to force the President to care for his citizens, but we will do whatever is necessary to protect people and communities.”
During Thursday’s virtual hearing, USDA attorney Tyler Becker maintained that the department had done its part by releasing partial funds, noting that states administer SNAP even though it is federally funded.
McConnell, however, rejected that argument, calling the administration’s handling of SNAP “a preventable crisis.”
“The evidence shows that people will go hungry. Food pantries will be overburdened, and needless suffering will occur,” he said. “This problem could have and should have been avoided. Therefore, the court orders the administration to make the full SNAP payment to the states by tomorrow.”
The ruling follows reports that President Trump had posted on Truth Social stating his intent to defy earlier court orders, saying that SNAP benefits would only be distributed “when the government opens.” McConnell cited that post as further justification for the urgency of his ruling.
Impact of the 2025 Government Shutdown
The 2025 government shutdown, now in its sixth week, has disrupted federal programs nationwide — from aviation safety to food assistance — and continues to affect millions of Americans.
With the administration ordered to release the funds immediately, states are expected to begin disbursing full SNAP benefits as early as Friday evening, though officials warn that processing delays may continue into the weekend.