Washington — A Rhode Island judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to provide full federal food benefits to states by Friday and admonished the government for what he said is its defiance of an earlier order.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell told Justice Department lawyers that it is "simply unacceptable" to wait any longer before providing the full payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and instead said the administration should act swiftly.

"Without SNAP funding for the month of November, 16 million children are immediately at risk of going hungry," McConnell said. "This should never happen in America."

The judge granted a request from municipalities and nonprofit organizations to order the administration to provide the full food benefits.

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