Judge orders Trump administration to make SNAP payments with contingency funds

WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- A federal judge in Rhode Island on Oct. 31 blocked the Trump administration from ceasing to pay for federal food assistance during the government shutdown.

The Trump administration previously said funding for SNAP -- the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a major part of the nation's social safety net -- was scheduled to lapse Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown.

Judge Jack McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island said the Agriculture Department must distribute the contingency funds "timely, or as soon as possible, for the November 1 payments to be made."

However, despite the ruling, it remained unclear what the extent of the disruption in funds would be, as they were scheduled to lapse Nov. 1. Some interruption is therefore expected, and the Trump administration could appeal McConnell's ruling.

In a joint statement, the coalition of plaintiffs in the case -- Rhode Island State Council of Churches v. Rollins -- called the ruling "a lifeline for millions of families, seniors, and veterans who depend on SNAP to put food on the table." The defendant is Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

"It reaffirms a fundamental principle: no administration can use hunger as a political weapon," the statement said. "This victory is about more than one program -- it's about the American values of fairness, compassion, and accountability that hold our democracy together. Our coalition represents communities on the frontlines of the hunger crisis. We came together because we refuse to accept a government that turns its back on people in need. We will keep fighting to ensure that federal programs serve their lawful purpose -- to help, not harm people and communities."

About 42 million -- or 1-in-8 -- Americans rely on SNAP. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that in fiscal year 2023, 79% of SNAP recipient households included either a child, an elderly individual or a nonelderly individual with a disability.

Catholic leaders and ministries are among those who have raised alarm at the prospect of a lapse in federal food assistance.

The Trump administration had previously argued that it could not use the contingency funds for the program, despite previous precedent, including from President Donald Trump's first term.

Prior to the judge's order, Rollins told reporters at an Oct. 31 press conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., that the contingency funds for SNAP "can only flow if the underlying appropriation is approved."

"It's called a contingency fund, and by law, contingency funds can only flow when the underlying fund is flowing," she argued. "That's the contingency fund that we would use to send more money into the vulnerable communities that are harmed by a specific event, like a hurricane."

During a lengthy government shutdown during the first Trump administration, the Department of Agriculture authorized early processing of SNAP funds to ensure there would be no disruption in service, the Huffington Post noted.

In anticipation of a lapse in federal food assistance programs, Catholic Charities USA, the network organization dedicated to carrying out the domestic humanitarian work of the Catholic Church in the United States, announced a national fundraising effort to provide an emergency supply of food to Catholic Charities agencies around the country.