BOSTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a temporary order to block a lower court's ruling that required the Trump administration to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown. This decision comes as millions of Americans await food assistance.

On November 6, U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. ordered the administration to issue full SNAP payments for November by November 7. He deemed the plan to provide only 65% of the benefits as "unacceptable," stating, "This should never happen in America. The evidence shows that people will go hungry, food pantries will be overburdened, and needless suffering will occur."

The SNAP program serves approximately 42 million low-income Americans. The Trump administration argued that it could not legally access certain funds and had already allocated $4.65 billion in contingency funds for partial benefits.

On November 7, the First Circuit Court of Appeals denied the administration's request for an immediate stay but left the door open for a longer pause while the appeal is considered. The court noted that the administration had not disputed its authority to use the funds but had "failed to act expeditiously" in distributing payments.

Later that evening, the administration filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson granted a short-term stay, halting the enforcement of McConnell's order while the appellate court reviews the request for a longer stay. The Justice Department warned that without the Court's intervention, it would need to transfer an estimated $4 billion to comply with the district court's order.

Jackson's ruling will remain in effect for up to 48 hours after the appeals court makes its decision, providing the administration with temporary relief amid growing political pressure.

The government shutdown, now in its second month, has disrupted essential services and paychecks across the country due to Congress's failure to reach a funding agreement. Judge McConnell previously accused the administration of using SNAP benefits as a political tool, stating that it was leveraging people's hunger for partisan advantage.

As the situation unfolds, some states have already issued full SNAP payments. Officials in Wisconsin reported that over $104 million in benefits became available for about 337,000 households. Oregon's Governor Tina Kotek stated that state employees worked overnight to ensure families could access their benefits. Other states, including California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, also moved quickly to distribute full benefits.

However, many recipients remain uncertain about when they will receive their benefits. The SNAP program provides a maximum monthly benefit of nearly $300 for individuals and up to nearly $1,000 for families of four, although many receive less based on their income.

The First Circuit is expected to issue a ruling on the stay request early next week, as the legal battle over SNAP funding continues amid the ongoing government shutdown.