US Supreme Court Extends Pause on Food Stamp Funding

By Staff, Agencies

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday extended a temporary pause on a judge’s order that required the administration of US President Donald Trump to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] for 42 million low-income Americans.

The move allows the administration, for now, to continue withholding around $4 billion in food aid, as the federal government shutdown continues. The pause prolongs a previous decision issued last Friday by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Lawyers representing the Trump administration stated Monday that the end of the government shutdown would render the lower court’s order unnecessary. The Supreme Court’s extension may be short-lived, with the pause currently set to expire on Thursday.

Justice Jackson expressed opposition to the move, writing on Tuesday that she would have denied the administration's request to extend the hold on the judge’s ruling.

The legal delay comes at a time when millions of Americans are facing worsening food insecurity. SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, serves as the nation’s primary food aid program.

On Monday, the US Senate passed a bipartisan bill aimed at ending what has become the longest government shutdown in the country's history. The shutdown has disrupted federal food aid, left hundreds of thousands of government employees without pay, and caused logistical challenges, including disruptions in air traffic.

For the first time in SNAP’s 60-year history, benefits lapsed at the start of the month. As a result, recipients have turned to already overburdened food banks. Many have been forced to make difficult choices, including skipping medications, to manage household budgets.

The prolonged shutdown has deepened food insecurity across the country. Relief organizations are reporting rising demand and dwindling supplies, as millions affected by the loss of SNAP benefits seek support elsewhere.