The Trump administration has requested an emergency stay from the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals regarding a recent ruling that mandates full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by today. This request follows a decision by U.S. District Judge John McConnell, who ordered the administration to ensure complete funding for SNAP for November. In its filing, the Department of Justice (DOJ) argued that the district court's ruling undermines the separation of powers. The DOJ stated, "This unprecedented injunction makes a mockery of the separation of powers. Courts hold neither the power to appropriate nor the power to spend. Courts are charged with enforcing the law, but the law is explicit that SNAP benefits are subject to available appropriations." Judge McConnell's ruling, issued Thursday, came after he had previously ordered the government to utilize emergency funds to facilitate SNAP payments by November 1. However, the administration opted to partially fund the program, citing the need to reserve additional funds for child nutrition programs. In his latest ruling, McConnell criticized the administration's rationale for not fully funding SNAP, calling it implausible. He accused the Trump administration of "erroneously and intentionally" conflating the funding issues. "People have gone without for too long; not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable," McConnell stated. The government is now asking the appeals court to permit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees SNAP, to continue with its plan for partial payments. They argue that compelling the agency to transfer billions from another safety net program could jeopardize future funding. Earlier this week, the USDA had provided enough funding to states to cover partial benefits for November, following McConnell's previous order. However, the judge later determined that the administration had not acted swiftly enough to ensure that funds reached the millions of SNAP recipients. He described the administration's decision to withhold full benefits as "arbitrary and capricious." McConnell ordered the administration to secure the additional funding by the end of Friday, suggesting that unused tariff funds allocated for child nutrition programs could be tapped. The USDA has indicated that this fund currently holds nearly $17 billion. In response to the administration's emergency request, a coalition of cities, nonprofits, unions, and small businesses that initiated the legal challenge urged the appeals court to reject the administration's bid. They emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that many recipients have already begun missing their November payments. "Time is of the essence," their attorneys wrote. "Plaintiffs and the public will be severely and irreparably harmed if defendants are granted a stay, even a brief one." The plaintiffs also highlighted McConnell's observation that the USDA's reluctance to use child nutrition funds was contradicted by recent comments from President Trump, which framed the issue in political terms. As states process the partial food stamp payments, timelines vary. Some states, like Illinois, plan to distribute funds to beneficiaries who were scheduled to receive their benefits earlier in the month, while others may take longer. Approximately 42 million Americans rely on food stamps, with November benefits totaling about $8.2 billion. The administration has stated it will allocate $4.65 billion from the USDA's SNAP contingency fund for this month's benefits, with the remaining funds directed toward other program costs. Under the current plan, beneficiaries may see their assistance reduced by 35% for November, with many receiving less than 65% of their usual benefits due to the calculation method used for food stamp aid.