A blocked budget in Congress has shut down the US government for a month.
One group that is at risk of being severely affected are those who are forced to seek help from Snap, the federal program that pays out food stamps to those in need, who make up just over 12 percent of the entire US population.
On Saturday, November 1, funding for the program expires, and no new food stamps will be distributed as long as the shutdown continues.
Through two lawsuits against the state, both Democratic politicians and aid organizations have tried to prevent the stoppage, and on Friday they were at least right on paper, American media reports.
As soon as possible
A federal judge in Boston and one in Rhode Island have both, to varying degrees, ruled in favor of the needy.
Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island wrote in his ruling that the contributions must be paid out “as soon as possible” and that if Snap’s reserve fund does not cover all expenses – which it does not – the money must be taken from other reserve funds.
The decision in Boston gives the government until Monday to say whether they should just use their own reserve fund, and pay out smaller grants, or take funds from elsewhere.
President Donald Trump writes on Truth Social that he has instructed government lawyers to ask the courts whether they have the legal right to use the reserve funds.
Formally, Snap is under the USDA Department of Agriculture, and according to CNN, their cash is $5.3 billion, equivalent to around SEK 50 billion, and Snap costs the state between SEK 8 and 9 billion each month.
Furious in his decision
The USDA claims it has no legal right to use other departments' funds, and according to NBC, it doesn't want to use its own money either. Instead, it claims the billions should remain in case they are needed as aid after a possible natural disaster.
Judge McConnell rages against that argument in his decision.
“If you compare the millions that will go without food aid with the department's desire not to use the emergency fund in case a hurricane comes, the balance is clearly in favor of those who need food,” he writes.
When asked if the USDA will follow the judges' ruling, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said, according to CNN, "we are looking at all options."
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is a program within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and is responsible for distributing assistance in the form of food stamps.
Over 42 million people in 22 million households received food stamps each month during the last budget period, which extended through September of this year.
This means that a little more than 12 percent of all 342 million citizens in the United States receive the support.
In 2023, children accounted for 39 percent of those eligible for support.
On average, each grant recipient receives support equivalent to $190 per month, equivalent to 1,800 SEK.
Source: USDA, USA Today
