A federal judge has said she will continue to block the Trump administration from enforcing a directive ordering states to reduce or revoke full SNAP benefits.
The administration is now attempting to retract hundreds of millions of dollars in food assistance benefits distributed after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – which pays for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – informed states last week that it was “working to implement” benefits in compliance with a court order.
“It would seem to me that if the agency is trying to comply with the law and with the executive branch’s preferences on policies, a piece of that wouldn’t be trying to play vindictive games with the states. That’s not part of it,” said U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani on Monday, according to NBC News. Talwani is presiding over a case filed against the federal government in Boston by Democratic state officials.
Why It Matters
SNAP typically provides monthly benefits to about 42 million low- and no-income Americans to help cover grocery costs. But funding for the program has faced major disruptions since the program’s regular appropriations expired in early October.
The Trump administration initially announced a freeze on benefits, citing legal limits on using contingency funds for routine payments. The USDA later said it would partially fund November benefits. Multiple lawsuits have since been filed against the administration, with the latest court ruling ordering the federal government to issue full payments to all 42 million recipients nationwide.
What To Know
Judge Talwani’s comments come after the USDA sent a memo to state SNAP administrators telling them to undo any steps taken to provide full payments to the nation’s 42 million SNAP beneficiaries.
“To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized,” Patrick Penn, the USDA’s deputy undersecretary, said in the memo. “Accordingly, States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025.
During a hearing on Monday, Judge Talwani said the administration’s messaging to states was confusing, particularly because the memo came just one day after the USDA had assured states that full SNAP payments would be issued.
Several states have already issued full November SNAP benefits. These include Massachusetts, Hawaii, Oregon, Wisconsin, California, Kansas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
What People Are Saying
USDA deputy undersecretary Penn wrote in the memo: “Failure to comply with this memorandum may results in USDA taking various actions, including cancellation of the Federal share of State administration costs and holding States liable for any over-issuances that result from the noncompliance.”
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said: “If President Trump wants to penalize states for preventing Americans from going hungry, we will see him in court. Massachusetts residents with funds on their cards should continue to spend it on food. These funds were processed in accordance with guidance we received from the Trump Administration and a lower court order, and they were processed before the Supreme Court order on Friday night.”
What Happens Next
The Senate passed a bill on Monday evening to fund the government through the end of January, bringing the longest shutdown ever closer to an end.
The House, which has been in recess since mid-September, is expected to return to Washington to vote on the bill as early as Wednesday. The bill will need to be approved by Congress before it can be signed into law by President Donald Trump.
