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Explain It To Me Like I’m a 7th Grader

Twenty-five states and territories just filed an emergency request for a TRO (Temporary Restaining Order) against the Trump administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in federal court. The USDA announced it will stop SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) for millions of people starting November 1st. These states are asking the judge to force the administration to release those funds immediately. Their argument is simple: tens of millions of residents are on the cusp of a crisis.

What they point to are two things that they say make the administration’s actions unlawful:

• The Money Exists: Congress had already set aside a special $6B fund just for this purpose. The idea behind this “rainy day fund” was to have money put aside in case something happened, like the current shutdown. The money’s there, it just needs to be released.
• It’s Mandatory: The states argue that the SNAP money is a mandatory expenditure, much like a check that has to go out even if Congress is shut down.

Withholding this money may have dire consequences. For example, millions of people will suffer from hunger. The ripple effect is large. As people become undernourished, they get sicker. This means more trips to the emergency room (if you can’t afford groceries, you’re probably not seeing a doctor). This puts a strain on hospitals and urgent care centers. It also ripples through the workplace, as people get sick more often and productivity drops.

Another detrimental effect is on schoolchildren. When you don’t get enough to eat, learning becomes decidedly more difficult. Hard to listen to a teacher when your stomach is growling and gnawing. Children lose focus, their behaviors change, and learning is the last thing they can think about.

So, Why A TRO?

Good question. In this case, it’s the legal version of calling 911. SANP benefits are due to run out at the end of October. In fact, the USDA suspended benefits on Oct. 24th. This came after they had told states to stop sending data to SNAP administrators two weeks earlier. If they had not filed the TRO and gone the standard court route, the delay could have been weeks, and all those weeks would have been bad for folks who need the benefits to put a meal on the table.

They also found that the harm caused by such a delay would be irreparable. The actions were sudden, at least in terms of government action, and the millions who could be harmed might not be able to wait through the court process and remain healthy.

Now, let’s be real about how much we’re talking about. For a family of four, the average SNAP benefit is about $24/day. That’s not a lot of money. Have you been grocery shopping lately? As tariffs have pushed prices up, that $24 a day for three meals gets stretched farther and farther. Think of it this way: $8/meal for three people. That’s it, every day, and the USDA’s actions will take even that away from the folks who need the help most.

While gilded $350M ballrooms are being built, nearly $200m in private jets for Kristi Noem are being purchased and the grifting first family has been able to squeeze $6B in their pockets this year, millions will lose food security. Again, this isn;t about the shutdiwn – the m oney is there. They just aren’t releasing it.