WASHINGTON (FN) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday temporarily blocked a lower court order that would have required the Trump administration to fully fund food assistance benefits for November, pausing a 4 billion dollars payment during a prolonged government shutdown.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued an administrative stay in response to an emergency appeal from the administration, which argued that the lower court’s ruling violated the Constitution’s separation of powers and would force an irreversible transfer of funds without congressional approval.
The case centers on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food aid to more than 42 million Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to issue only partial benefits this month due to the lapse in government funding.
A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled last week that the USDA must distribute full benefits, citing statutory obligations under the Food and Nutrition Act and the risk of irreparable harm to low-income households. The court said the administration could not suspend legally mandated benefits without violating federal law.
The Trump administration appealed to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which denied a stay. The administration then turned to the Supreme Court, where Jackson granted a temporary pause while the justices considered the emergency application.
Jackson, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2022 by President Joe Biden, is the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court. She previously served in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the U.S. District Court in Washington.
The administrative stay does not reflect a final decision on the merits but allows the court time to review the legal arguments. The justices have not indicated when they will issue a further ruling or whether they will take up the case in full.
The administration contends that only Congress has the authority to appropriate funds and that the judiciary cannot compel executive agencies to spend money not authorized by law. Plaintiffs argue that the USDA is obligated to fulfill its statutory duties regardless of the shutdown.
“Families are already struggling to put food on the table,” said Maria Gomez, director of the nonprofit Feeding Futures. “This delay in full SNAP payments could push many into the crisis.”
The outcome of the case could have broad implications for the balance of power among the branches of government and the legal enforceability of entitlement programs during fiscal emergencies.
The case centers on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food aid to more than 42 million Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to issue only partial benefits this month due to the lapse in government funding.
A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled last week that the USDA must distribute full benefits, citing statutory obligations under the Food and Nutrition Act and the risk of irreparable harm to low-income households. The court said the administration could not suspend legally mandated benefits without violating federal law.
The Trump administration appealed to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which denied a stay. The administration then turned to the Supreme Court, where Jackson granted a temporary pause while the justices considered the emergency application.
Jackson, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2022 by President Joe Biden, is the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court. She previously served in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the U.S. District Court in Washington.
The administrative stay does not reflect a final decision on the merits but allows the court time to review the legal arguments. The justices have not indicated when they will issue a further ruling or whether they will take up the case in full.
The administration contends that only Congress has the authority to appropriate funds and that the judiciary cannot compel executive agencies to spend money not authorized by law. Plaintiffs argue that the USDA is obligated to fulfill its statutory duties regardless of the shutdown.
“Families are already struggling to put food on the table,” said Maria Gomez, director of the nonprofit Feeding Futures. “This delay in full SNAP payments could push many into the crisis.”
The outcome of the case could have broad implications for the balance of power among the branches of government and the legal enforceability of entitlement programs during fiscal emergencies.
