The federal District Court in Rhode Island (Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr.) has issued a temporary restraining order to force the Trump Administration to make funds available for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (”SNAP”) despite the governmental shutdown.
The Court’s initial Order was made orally from the bench on October 31 but was not transcribed prior to a modification of the Order on November 1 after the Administration indicated it needed further instructions on how it could comply. The follow-up Order held that contingency funds held by the Department of Agriculture were required to be used under the existing statute, noting that the Administration had issued similar guidance during the shutdown during the first Trump Administration.
The Court found that the plaintiffs had established a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of their case, had shown irreparable harm absent the TRO, and the public interest and balance of the equities strongly favor entry of the TRO.
The case was brought by the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, the National Council of Nonprofits, Service Employees International Union, and a variety of cities and community organizations. (Rhode Island State Council of Churches v. Rollins, D. RI, No. 25-cv-569, 11/1/25.)
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