A US judge ordered the Trump administration to fund the Federal Supplemental Gutrion Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps “for food reasons” for political reasons “.
Judge John McConnell said in his order on Thursday that without aid, “16 million children are at risk of starvation”.
The program is used by about 42 million – or about 1 in 8 – Americans and helps those with low-yield groceries.
The administration initially planned to freeze funding for the entire month due to the government shutdown, which is now the longest in US history, but ordered the US to continue spending despite partial payments.
The Judge, based in Rhode Island, also criticized President Donald Trump for saying that the distribution of benefits to the government, calling it “a purpose to reject the court’s order”.
He granted a request from many local governments and non-profit groups requesting that the government provide full food benefits, instead of the 65% ordered to be paid this month.
Judge McConnell, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, ordered the benefits to be paid on Friday, adding that any further delay would be “simply unacceptable”.
“This shouldn’t be happening in America,” he continued.
He added that the government “is aware that there is a long delay in payment [partial] The benefits of the snap and failed to consider the harms of people who rely on the benefits will suffer “.
The White House has yet to respond to the latest ruling. After Trump initially vowed to withhold aid until the shutdown ends, his spokesman clarified that the administration would comply with the judge’s order.
Democracy Forward, an advocacy group that brought the case, hailed the ruling as a “huge victory”.
“The court could not be clearer – the Trump-Vance administration must stop playing politics with the lives of people who are obligated to issue,” Democrat Perryman Skyman said in a statement.
More than 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, yet the program has been in limbo during the months-long shutdown.
While the individual US claims to administer the benefits, the program relies on money from the federal government, which has not been collected and closed from 1 October.
Last month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is running on snapping, said it would not distribute funds to food lovers who had begun to shut down. “
Half of the states and the District of Columbia initiated the Food-Aid Freeze administration and argued that they have a legal obligation to keep the program running in their jurisdictions.
Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have ruled that the administration must use $5.25bn (£4bn) in emergency funds for Americans.
Snaps are worth about $8BN per month and allow many Americans to buy groceries. It gives them reloadable debit cards that they can use to buy food.
A family of four on average receives $715 per month, which breaks down to less than $6 per day, per person.
Amid the uncertainty of snapping funds, local governments are helping direct recipients of food charity pantries that hold emergency drives.
Cost-saving recipes have also gone viral online, as Americans look for ways to stretch their budget.