The Trump administration is under pressure with looming deadlines on Monday, as it must inform two federal judges whether it intends to adhere to court mandates to continue financing SNAP, the largest food aid initiative in the United States, with contingency funds amid the ongoing government shutdown.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture had indicated plans to halt payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting November 1, citing the inability to maintain funding due to the shutdown. This program, which supports approximately one in eight Americans and serves as a crucial component of the nation’s social safety framework, incurs a monthly cost of around $8 billion nationwide.

This situation has left millions uncertain about how they will secure food. Even if the court cases resolve favorably, November benefits are expected to be delayed. Many recipients typically receive their benefits early in the month, and the process of reloading benefit cards often takes over a week in many states.

Democratic attorneys general or governors from 25 states, along with the District of Columbia, have challenged the administration’s plan to suspend the program, arguing that there is a legal obligation to keep it operational in their regions. Several cities and nonprofit organizations have also filed lawsuits in response.

In separate rulings on Friday, judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ordered the administration to continue funding SNAP. However, they allowed the administration the discretion to decide whether to fund the program fully or partially for the month of November.

The USDA has a $5 billion contingency fund for the program, but the Trump administration reversed an earlier agency plan to use that money to keep SNAP running. Democratic officials argue that the administration could also use a separate fund of about $23 billion.

U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, said SNAP must be funded using at least contingency funds, and he asked for an update on progress by Monday.

He said all previous work requirement waivers must continue to be honored. During the shutdown, the USDA has terminated existing waivers that exempted work requirements for older adults, veterans and others.

In Boston, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled the suspension was unlawful and said USDA has to pay for SNAP. Talwani ordered the federal government to advise by Monday whether they will use emergency reserve funds to provide reduced SNAP benefits for November or fully fund the program using both contingency funds and additional available funds.

Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. The majority of states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the SNAP debit cards.

To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of four’s net income after certain expenses can’t exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $32,000 per year. Last year, SNAP assisted nearly 42 million people, about two-thirds of whom were families with children.