Judge Orders Immediate Action on Food Stamp Funding
A federal judge in Rhode Island has delivered a stern rebuke to the Trump administration, ordering it to find money to fully fund food stamps for 42 million low-income Americans by today. The ruling comes as the government shutdown enters its 38th day, making it the longest in US history.
District Judge John J McConnell Jr strongly criticised the administration's plan to provide only partial funding for November's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The judge stated that evidence clearly shows people will go hungry and food pantries will become overburdened if full funding isn't restored.
Immediate Consequences of Funding Lapse
The judge's ruling highlighted the severe impact already being felt across America. Linda Nageotte of Feeding America revealed that one in eight people in the country currently don't have enough to eat. The situation has become so dire that pop-up food pantries, like one photographed in Oakland, California, are seeing unprecedented demand.
Judge McConnell didn't mince words about the severity of the situation, stating: "This should never happen in America." His order represents a significant legal challenge to the administration's handling of the shutdown's impact on vital social programs.
Transport Chaos as Flight Reductions Begin
Meanwhile, the shutdown's effects are spreading to air travel, with major airports across the United States facing flight reductions starting today. New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are among 40 airports affected by the Federal Aviation Administration's decision to cut air traffic.
The FAA says the measures are necessary to maintain safety standards during the funding lapse. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats being removed from schedules. The reductions began at 4% today and are expected to increase to 10%, likely creating cascading delays and scheduling issues at the nation's busiest airports.
Political Standoff Continues
As the shutdown continues with no resolution in sight, lawmakers remain locked in negotiations. Some Democratic legislators see recent electoral wins as evidence they should maintain their position to extract significant concessions from Republicans.
The political impasse shows no signs of breaking, leaving millions of Americans uncertain about when normal government operations will resume and when essential services will be fully restored.
