Trenton, NJ – A federal court has ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use contingency funds to continue the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The ruling comes after New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, along with 23 other state attorneys general and three governors, challenged the federal government’s suspension of benefits.
The court also directed the USDA to identify additional funding sources if the contingency fund is not enough to cover November’s benefits.
Key Points
- Federal court orders USDA to use SNAP contingency funds amid shutdown
- New Jersey joins multistate coalition suing Trump Administration over benefit suspension
- Court requires government to explore other funding if contingency funds fall short
Platkin hails court victory
Attorney General Platkin said the ruling validates the coalition’s argument that the federal government acted unlawfully in halting SNAP benefits. “This is a critical development in our fight to prevent New Jersey families from being harmed,” Platkin said. “We intend to ensure this order is complied with so residents are no longer at risk of losing their benefits.” The lawsuit contends the suspension violated the Administrative Procedure Act and would leave millions of Americans, including over 800,000 New Jerseyans, without food assistance.
States push for compliance
Under the order, the USDA must inform the court by Monday whether it will draw from other federal funds to maintain November SNAP payments. A similar ruling was issued this week by a federal court in Rhode Island, directing the agency to distribute benefits immediately.
Murphy declares state of emergency
Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency to coordinate New Jersey’s response to the potential lapse in benefits. Executive Order 402 activates the state’s Office of Emergency Management to address disruptions in food access, while Executive Order 401 forms a task force to manage the impact of the suspension.
Task force response
Attorney General Platkin will serve on the newly created interagency task force, which will oversee New Jersey’s statewide efforts to mitigate food insecurity. The panel will coordinate with local agencies to ensure that low-income households continue receiving assistance while federal funding issues are resolved.