Federal Judge Weighs Forcing USDA to Pay SNAP Benefits Despite Shutdown

The judge suggested that the government should try to at least partially fund the benefits.

The U.S. Capitol building during the government shutdown in Washington on Oct. 28, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

A federal judge considered ordering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tap into a $5 billion contingency fund to avoid a lapse in the national food stamp program on Oct. 30.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, during a hearing in Boston, said the government should find a way to continue giving limited benefits to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP), rather than cutting it off completely.