Overview
- Two federal judges ordered the administration to resume SNAP using emergency reserves, with a Rhode Island order requiring a plan by Monday and at least partial payments by Wednesday.
- Judge John J. McConnell Jr. directed access to roughly $5–6 billion in contingency funds and urged officials to identify additional lawful sources to cover November.
- The White House says it is seeking legal clarification, and states caution that loading benefits to EBT cards could take days or weeks.
- With no November reloads for many, food banks report surging lines and stage emergency distributions in Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Phoenix, New York, Cincinnati and Louisville.
- Local stopgaps are launching, including Virginia’s state‑funded VENA benefits starting next week and a New York City public‑private effort to bolster pantries.