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.

A person shops for produce, which is covered by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), at a grocery store in Baltimore on Oct. 30, 2025. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo

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.