Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked a court order requiring full SNAP food aid payments during the government shutdown. This decision allowed the Trump administration to continue issuing partial SNAP payments, affecting millions of Americans who rely on the program. Some states managed to issue full payments before the block was enacted.
Key Facts
- The Supreme Court granted an emergency appeal from the Trump administration to pause full SNAP payments during the shutdown.
- A lower court had previously ordered the administration to make full payments.
- Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued the order to block full payments temporarily.
- SNAP serves about 1 in 8 Americans, primarily those with lower incomes.
- Some states like Wisconsin, Oregon, and Hawaii issued full payments before the block.
- States like California and New Jersey also moved quickly to release full payments.
- Full payments were already distributed to some recipients, causing concern over fund depletion.
- The Trump administration argued that quick payments drained limited funds, affecting other states.
