Federal Court Orders Full SNAP Payments Amid Government Shutdown

The ongoing government shutdown has created significant uncertainty for millions of Americans who depend on federal nutrition assistance programs. At the center of this crisis is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which serves approximately one in eight Americans, primarily those with lower incomes. The program's future became uncertain when the Trump administration announced it could only cover 65% of maximum monthly benefits due to funding constraints caused by the shutdown.

U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. intervened in this growing crisis by issuing a court order requiring the Trump administration to distribute full November SNAP benefits. The judge set a Friday deadline for the administration to make complete payments through the program, which typically costs between $8.5 billion and $9 billion monthly. This ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by cities and nonprofit organizations challenging the administration's decision to provide only partial benefits.

Legal Battle Over Emergency Funding

The court order directed the administration to utilize an emergency reserve fund containing more than $4.6 billion to cover November SNAP benefits. Judge McConnell's ruling provided flexibility for the government to access additional funds if necessary to ensure full payments. This decision followed similar rulings from other federal judges who had previously determined that the administration could not skip November benefits entirely due to the government shutdown.

However, the Trump administration responded swiftly by filing an appeal with a federal appeals court on Friday, seeking to block the district court's order. The administration argued that the directive to fund full SNAP benefits violates constitutional separation of powers principles. In its court filing, the U.S. Department of Justice stated that "This unprecedented injunction makes a mockery of the separation of powers. Courts hold neither the power to appropriate nor the power to spend."

State-Level Implementation Efforts

Despite the legal challenges at the federal level, several states have moved forward with preparations to distribute benefits as quickly as possible. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' administration confirmed that some SNAP recipients in the state had already received their full November payments overnight on Thursday. According to spokesperson Britt Cudaback, "We've received confirmation that payments went through, including members reporting they can now see their balances."

Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services also announced it had directed its SNAP electronic benefit card vendor to issue full benefits immediately upon receiving federal funding. The department outlined that recipients who normally receive benefits on the third, fifth, or seventh of the month should receive their full SNAP allotment within 48 hours of funds becoming available, while others would receive benefits on their regularly scheduled dates.

Constitutional and Funding Disputes

The legal dispute centers on the administration's position that Congress must appropriate funds for the program and that available contingency funds should be reserved for other child hunger programs. On Monday, before the court order, the administration had stated it would not use additional money beyond the emergency reserves, maintaining that the responsibility for funding rests with Congress.

The court's intervention represents a significant development in the ongoing government shutdown, highlighting the critical nature of nutrition assistance programs for vulnerable populations. The outcome of this legal battle will have immediate consequences for millions of American families who rely on SNAP benefits to meet their basic food needs during this period of governmental instability.