(LOOTPRESS) – Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on Friday temporarily paused a lower court order that would have required the Trump administration to immediately provide full food stamp benefits to tens of millions of Americans.
The move gives the administration short-term relief as it continues to fight the issue in court during the ongoing government shutdown.
The pause means the U.S. Department of Agriculture will not have to honor the lower court directive to transfer $4 billion to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by the end of Friday.
While the decision is temporary, it could affect full benefits for families who depend on SNAP to buy groceries.
The Trump administration has already said it will use SNAP’s contingency fund to provide partial benefits.
Jackson’s order, described as an “administrative stay,” does not resolve the broader legal issues.
Instead, it prevents further action while an appeals court reviews the case. Jackson is the justice responsible for handling emergency appeals from the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The dispute over SNAP funding has become a focal point in the shutdown, highlighting one of the most direct impacts on Americans. Nearly 42 million people rely on SNAP to feed themselves and their families.
The administration asked the Supreme Court for emergency action just hours after the USDA told states it was working to comply with the lower court ruling issued by U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island. It remains unclear how the case will ultimately affect future SNAP funding or benefit levels.
