A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to pay out the full food stamp benefit this month, rejecting the government’s claim that it only has the money to pay out only part of the benefits amid the government shutdown.
Judge John McConnell Jr., an Obama appointee, scolded the administration and ordered the full benefits to go out by Friday.
The administration quickly filed an appeal.
Judge McConnell suggested the administration was playing games with the benefit, saying that making a partial payout would lead to lengthy delays in many states.
He found the government’s logic that it would have to siphon money from other programs, such as the school lunch program, unavailing.
“People have gone without for too long,” he said.
