Judge Orders Trump Administration To Provide Full SNAP Payments: What It Means For NYC

NEW YORK CITY — A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to make full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments for this month.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell said the Trump administration failed to comply with his previous order — telling them it needed to use other funds to cover the gap during the government shutdown.

Despite planning to use $4.65 billion from a SNAP contingency fund, the cost to fully fund benefits, are expected to cost upwards of $9 billion.

“This is a problem that could have and should have been avoided,” McConnell said in his order.

Thursday's order requires the federal government to make the full payments to states by Friday.

"A judge in Rhode Island just stopped the federal government from starving millions of Americans. I am relieved that people will get the food they need, but it is outrageous that it took a lawsuit to make the federal government feed its own people," New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

James and a coalition of 24 other states and the District of Columbia asked a federal judge to require the Trump administration to release full Supplemental Assistance Program, or SNAP benefits, for November.

On Monday, the Trump administration announced it would partially fund the SNAP this month.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to freeze payments to the program on Nov. 1 before two federal judges ordered that the Trump administration must continue to fund SNAP benefits by using contingency funds during the government shutdown last week.

The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans, costing about $8 billion per month nationally.

In preparation of a potential stoppage in SNAP benefits and payments, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $65 million in state funding for emergency food assistance.

The money would go towards New York’s food banks and pantries and providing about 40 million meals to New Yorkers in need.

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams also announced $15 million in emergency funding for food assistance coupled with an all-hands-on-deck response to prepare for the potential food emergency during the federal government shutdown.

This is a developing story. This post will be updated.