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Judge says Trump administration must pay SNAP benefits, after NY and other states sue
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 31, 2025
Modified Oct 31, 2025
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Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 31, 2025
Modified Oct 31, 2025
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A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to pay next month’s SNAP benefits even as the federal government shutdown continues.
The ruling comes in response to a suit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James and 24 other states, along with the District of Columbia, in Massachusetts. It orders the Trump administration to use contingency funding as well as other available funds to cover benefits.
“Millions of families rely on SNAP — or food stamps — to survive,” James said in a statement, calling the ruling a major victory.
“The administration tried to use the shutdown as an excuse to withhold food assistance from vulnerable Americans, but the court has made clear that the law requires those benefits to continue. The federal government cannot simply walk away from its obligation to feed the people it serves. We will keep fighting until every family in New York and across the nation can put food on the table.”
The Trump administration had previously said it would not issue benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal shutdown and said it could not legally use contingency funds to cover costs.
The $6 billion in contingency dollars isn't enough to cover a full month of benefits for the 42 million Americans who rely on the aid, but U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said the administration could use additional discretionary funds “to avoid any reductions.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s not clear how quickly the money will be dispersed to recipients and whether there will be a delay in people receiving their benefits. Payments are staggered to households throughout the month. The state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance didn’t immediately comment.
But Talwani gave the Trump administration until Monday to determine whether it will use only contingency funds and offer reduced benefits or use additional monies to make full SNAP payments.
Another federal judge in Rhode Island issued a similar ruling Friday afternoon in response to a lawsuit by a group of cities and community organizations.
Kanchana Suggu, senior vice president and chief impact officer at United Way of New York City, said the organization was working to make sure no matter what happens, New Yorkers don’t go hungry.
"Many families are still facing uncertainty in the days ahead. Regardless of when SNAP benefits will resume, these disruptions are already straining countless families, and our food pantries will have to work around the clock to ensure they can feed as many people as possible,” she said.
About 3 million New York state residents and 800,000 New Jersey residents receive SNAP. Monthly payments are loaded onto debit-like EBT cards on different days in the month, meaning that more people will feel the pinch the longer it takes for payments to be distributed.
“No state should have to sue the federal government to ensure families can put food on the table. But when Washington Republicans refused to act, New York took them to court to mitigate this crisis,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “We're calling on the administration to immediately release these funds and support our efforts to keep New Yorkers fed during the shutdown.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
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Politics
economy
food
new york city
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
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