Two federal judges ruled Friday that the Trump administration must resume funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown, requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use emergency reserve funds to keep food benefits active nationwide.
The rulings — issued in Massachusetts and Rhode Island — temporarily halt the administration’s plan to suspend payments starting Nov. 1. SNAP provides critical food assistance to about 41 million Americans, including nearly 900,000 Arizonans who rely on the program each month.
The courts determined that the USDA has access to more than $28 billion in contingency and reserve funds that can legally be used to continue SNAP payments. The decisions also require the agency to maintain existing work requirement exemptions for seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.
The cases were brought by 25 states and three governors, including Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, who joined the coalition arguing that federal law requires SNAP benefits to continue even during a shutdown.
Despite the rulings, many states expect delays in benefit distribution, as reloading electronic benefit cards can take several days. Local organizations, including the Arizona Food Bank Network, are preparing for increased demand as families wait for aid to resume.
SNAP provides roughly $150 million in monthly benefits to Arizona residents and supports thousands of grocery stores and food retailers across the state.
