NATIONAL — Two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must use billions of dollars in emergency funds to cover the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Both federal judges rejected the claim that funds set aside by the U.S. Department of Agriculture contingency fund could not be used to cover the program.
The contingency fund at the time of the ruling held approximately $5 billion.
Judge Indira Talwani of Boston, Mass., was one of the judges who heard the case.
Judge Talwani called the administration’s attempt to freeze millions of dollars of SNAP benefits “unlawful.”
Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued a similar ruling in Providence, R.I.
The decision came on Friday, a day before the Nov. 1 cutoff that could have affected millions of people who rely on SNAP to help cover food costs.
The funds were being halted due to the government shutdown.
The cuts have forced many of the federal program look for other supplemental food options, such as food banks.
However, this ruling doesn’t mean SNAP recipients will receive the funds on Nov. 1.
Talwani and McConnell have asked the administration to update them on the process for utilizing the contingency fund for SNAP by Monday, Nov. 3.