Supreme Court Halts Full SNAP Payments amid Government Shutdown/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Supreme Court temporarily blocked full SNAP food aid payments following an emergency appeal by the Trump administration. The ruling pauses a lower court order requiring full benefit distribution during the ongoing government shutdown. Some states had already begun issuing full benefits, creating confusion and uncertainty for millions of low-income Americans.
SNAP Shutdown Ruling + Quick Looks
- Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson granted a temporary order halting full SNAP payments.
- The Trump administration appealed a federal judge’s directive to fully fund November benefits during the shutdown.
- Over a dozen states had already issued full payments before the order, while others now face uncertainty.
- SNAP serves around 1 in 8 Americans, with monthly benefits up to $1,000 for a family of four.
- The legal dispute centers on whether the administration can override court orders using limited emergency funds.
Supreme Court Halts Full SNAP Payments During Government Shutdown
Deep Look
BOSTON — The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Trump administration’s emergency request to pause a court-ordered mandate requiring full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments for November. The temporary block comes as the U.S. government shutdown drags into its seventh week, deepening anxiety among millions of low-income households relying on federal food aid.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued the order late Friday, responding to the administration’s appeal to suspend the payments while the case is reviewed by a federal appeals court in Boston. Jackson’s order will remain in effect until 48 hours after the appeals court issues a ruling—giving the administration time to potentially return to the Supreme Court if needed.
SNAP Benefits at Risk Amid Legal Tug-of-War
The dispute stems from a Thursday order by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr., who ruled that the administration must distribute full November SNAP benefits, rejecting the Trump administration’s plan to issue only partial payments due to limited funding.
McConnell and another judge directed the government to use an emergency fund containing over $4.6 billion to cover the full cost of the program—estimated at $8.5 to $9 billion monthly. The Trump administration argued that it could not legally be forced to spend more than the funds available, asserting that only Congress has the power to appropriate the additional money.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer emphasized in court filings that allowing full payments would violate the separation of powers.
“This unprecedented injunction makes a mockery of the separation of powers,” he wrote. “Once those billions are out the door, there is no ready mechanism for the government to recover those funds.”
States Scramble as Court Ruling Sparks Confusion
Despite the Supreme Court’s late intervention, multiple states had already acted on the Thursday order to release full SNAP benefits, creating a patchwork of responses across the country.
- Wisconsin distributed $104 million in food benefits to over 337,000 households at midnight Friday.
- Oregon issued full payments after workers rushed overnight to process transactions.
- Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington also confirmed they had moved to release full benefits.
- Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, and New Hampshire said full benefits could arrive as early as this weekend.
However, other states opted to delay or provide partial payments pending further federal guidance. Officials in North Carolina, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, and North Dakota reported issuing only partial payments Friday.
In Delaware, Democratic Gov. Matt Meyer said the state used its own emergency funds to provide weekly SNAP relief while awaiting federal resolution.
Families Caught in the Middle
For SNAP recipients, the back-and-forth in court meant another day of uncertainty. In Newark, New Jersey, Jasmen Youngbey— a college student and mother of two— waited in line at a local food pantry, unsure when she’d receive her benefits.
“Not everybody has cash to just go and buy food, especially with the cost of groceries right now,” she said. Youngbey later confirmed that her benefits were deposited Friday afternoon, but many others remained in limbo.
The maximum SNAP benefit can reach nearly $1,000 for a family of four, but most recipients get a lower amount based on income. With food prices still elevated, any delay in distribution hits vulnerable households especially hard.
Broader Implications for Government Shutdown
The court fight reflects the growing chaos as the federal shutdown stretches into its second month. The Trump administration has refused to use other emergency funds to cover full SNAP payments, arguing that such action would jeopardize other anti-hunger initiatives for children.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers remain gridlocked in negotiations to reopen the government, and agencies like the Department of Agriculture—which oversees SNAP—are increasingly constrained in their ability to provide services without congressional appropriations.
While the Supreme Court’s temporary pause provides relief to the administration, it throws state governments into confusion and risks worsening conditions for SNAP recipients across the country.
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