Trump Administration Seeks Emergency Stay on Court-Ordered Full SNAP Funding

The Trump administration has petitioned a federal appeals court for an emergency stay to suspend a judge's directive requiring the full funding of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell had ordered the administration to provide complete SNAP payments by Friday, criticizing the delays that have potentially led to hunger among recipients.

In response, the Department of Justice argued that the judge lacked the authority to allocate federal funds, emphasizing that only Congress holds the power to resolve the funding issue.

The administration had previously announced plans to use $4.65 billion in contingency funds to cover approximately 65% of the benefits for eligible households. However, it contended that additional funds designated for child nutrition programs could not be utilized to fully fund SNAP.

The legal challenge was initiated by a coalition of cities, nonprofits, and several Democratic state officials, expressing concern that partial payments could result in some recipients receiving no assistance.

The timeline for the distribution of full benefits remains uncertain due to potential delays in state systems.