Read on cbsnews.comSupreme Court Temporarily Halts Full SNAP Benefits Order Amid Government Shutdown
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has temporarily frozen a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to provide full SNAP benefits to approximately 42 million Americans during the government shutdown. The emergency intervention came as the administration faced a deadline to distribute food assistance, with officials warning that full payments would require diverting funds from child nutrition programs. The legal battle highlights the severe consequences of the ongoing government shutdown on critical food assistance programs.
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a temporary freeze on Friday, halting a lower court order that would have required the Trump administration to provide full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to approximately 42 million Americans. The emergency intervention came as the administration faced an end-of-day deadline to distribute the food assistance, marking a critical development in the ongoing legal battle over food benefits during the government shutdown.
Legal Battle Over Food Assistance
The dispute centers on the distribution of SNAP benefits during the government shutdown, with the Trump administration arguing it has already exhausted a $5 billion contingency reserve to provide partial food assistance payments for November. According to court filings, the administration warned that providing full benefits would require an additional $4 billion, necessitating the diversion of funds from Child Nutrition Programs that serve millions of children daily.
Judicial Intervention and Administration Response
U.S. District Judge John McConnell had initially ordered the administration to use contingency funds to provide food aid to SNAP beneficiaries, but later accused the government of undermining his order's effectiveness. The judge pointed to President Trump's social media statement that benefits would be provided "only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government" as evidence that assistance was being withheld for political purposes. The Justice Department countered that McConnell's order "makes a mockery of the separation of powers" and would "sow further shutdown chaos."
Implications for Food Security
The legal proceedings have created uncertainty for millions of low-income Americans who rely on SNAP benefits to purchase groceries. While the USDA had notified states it was working to comply with the district court's order, officials warned that even reduced payments could take weeks to reach recipients. The situation highlights the broader impact of the government shutdown on social safety net programs and the vulnerable populations they serve.
Justice Jackson's temporary order provides the federal appeals court additional time to consider whether to grant the Trump administration longer emergency relief while the appeal moves forward. The Supreme Court's intervention represents a significant development in the ongoing legal and political battle over funding critical food assistance programs during the government shutdown.
