TOPEKA, Kan. — Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that a federal court has ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) contingency funds to ensure that benefits continue during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The ruling, issued by the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, found that the USDA has both the resources and the legal obligation to continue issuing benefits, despite the Trump Administration’s public statements claiming otherwise.
“The Court’s decision today makes clear that the Trump Administration has acted unlawfully in its attempt to withhold November SNAP benefits from millions of Americans, including nearly 188,000 Kansans,” Governor Kelly said. “The federal government has a legal and moral responsibility to fund this program so Kansans can continue to feed themselves and their families.”
The case revealed that internal USDA memos confirm the existence of an emergency SNAP contingency fund—money already set aside for precisely this type of situation. The Trump Administration had claimed the department was unable to use the fund, blaming Democrats for the lapse in benefits. The court’s order contradicts that narrative.
If the contingency funds cannot fully cover the program through November, the federal government must explore “other additional funding sources,” according to the order. The USDA has until Monday, November 3, to notify the court whether it plans to fully or partially fund SNAP for the month.
Governor Kelly joined 22 attorneys general, two governors, and the District of Columbia in the lawsuit, arguing that the USDA’s decision to suspend SNAP payments violated the Administrative Procedure Act by being arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law.
For the nearly 188,000 Kansans who depend on SNAP to put food on the table, the decision offers hope—and puts pressure on federal agencies to comply swiftly.
