With the government shutdown deepening in Washington, a federal judge has intervened to protect millions of Americans from losing access to food assistance, ordering the Trump administration to keep the program running despite the political gridlock.
Judge John J. McConnell of Rhode Island has directed the government to release $5 billion in emergency funds from the Department of Agriculture to ensure the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) remains operational. The program supports more than 42 million Americans who rely on it for daily meals.
Calling the suspension of aid as a human tragedy waiting to happen, Judge McConnell reminded political leaders that hunger does not wait for budget approvals. His ruling guarantees grocery benefits will continue even as other federal operations freeze.
Advocacy groups welcomed the decision as a moral victory, highlighting the judiciary’s role in preventing political deadlock from worsening hardship among the vulnerable.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s administration faces mounting criticism over the shutdown’s widening impact, from frozen paychecks to closed offices, as spending disputes with Congress drag on.
For millions of families, however, the ruling offers a huge assurance that food will stay on the table, at least for now.
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