Defending Food Security for Millions During the Latest Government Shutdown

This case challenges the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful decision to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the 2025 government shutdown—cutting off essential food assistance for more than 42 million people across the country.

The plaintiffs are a broad national coalition of cities, faith-based and charitable organizations, worker and business groups, and nonprofit organizations that serve communities relying on SNAP. They include municipalities such as Baltimore, Providence, Albuquerque, and New Haven; hunger-relief and faith organizations, such as the Rhode Island State Council of Churches; labor and business organizations; and food retailers whose communities and local economies depend on SNAP benefits. Democracy Forward, alongside co-counsel the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, represents the coalition.

The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) acted unlawfully by refusing to use available contingency funds to continue SNAP benefits during the 2025 government shutdown—despite Congress’s clear direction that SNAP operate as an entitlement program. The administration also abruptly terminated longstanding waivers protecting job seekers and part-time workers in areas with insufficient employment opportunities, further threatening access to food assistance. 

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued emergency relief, blocking the administration’s attempt to halt SNAP benefits and ordering the release of full payments. When the administration failed to comply and instead attempted to issue partial payments on a delayed timeline, plaintiffs returned to court. The court enforced its orders, finding that delays in food assistance cause immediate and irreparable harm and that the administration lacked lawful authority to withhold benefits.

The administration appealed the district court’s decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, but after the First Circuit declined to halt the district court’s orders and allowed SNAP payments to proceed, the Trump-Vance administration sought emergency relief from the U.S. Supreme Court on the same day. Two days later, the Supreme Court granted a temporary stay of the First Circuit’s decision while it considered the administration’s emergency request. That stay was set to expire, and a decision on whether to extend it was imminent when the government shutdown ended.

The government shutdown ended on November 12, 2025, after appropriations were restored and SNAP benefits resumed. While the shutdown-emergency ended, the litigation continues. The case continues to challenge the administration’s unlawful termination of longstanding SNAP waivers for certain job seekers and part-time workers. Those waivers remain protected under the District Court’s order while the case proceeds toward a final decision on the merits.