Millions dependent on SNAP could lose aid as legal dispute unfolds.
The Trump administration has informed a federal court that, despite having billions of dollars available, it cannot deploy those funds to prevent impending reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Officials explained that roughly $5 billion remains in a Department of Agriculture contingency account but claimed that budget rules restrict its use to natural disasters, not to covering routine SNAP payments, which total about $9 billion monthly. The statement came as a prolonged government shutdown raises fears of a nationwide halt in food aid.
States Challenge the Administration’s Position
More than twenty states have taken the administration to court, demanding the release of emergency money to sustain benefits through the shutdown. During hearings, judges pressed federal lawyers on why the funds could not be used when millions risk going hungry. The administration’s attorneys argued that diverting the money would break statutory limits, while state officials countered that the refusal undermines the program’s core mission of preventing hunger.
Food Assistance at Risk Nationwide
Without a resolution, payments to roughly 42 million Americans could stop as early as November 1. State agencies and advocacy groups have warned that food banks are already stretched thin and cannot replace lost federal benefits. Economists caution that a lapse in aid would ripple through local economies, reducing grocery sales and straining low-income families. Hunger organizations continue to urge Washington to act, calling the inaction both unnecessary and avoidable.
