A federal appeals court has ruled the Trump administration must fully fund food assistance benefits during the ongoing government shutdown.
Late Sunday night, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston upheld a lower court order from Rhode Island requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to release $4 billion to ensure Americans receive full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
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The decision came after the USDA told states to “immediately undo” any steps taken to distribute full benefits, commonly known as food stamps, warning of possible financial penalties.
Several states began issuing payments Friday. However, on Saturday, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused the order while the appeals court reviewed the case.
Even with Sunday’s ruling, that pause stays in place for 48 hours, meaning payments won’t resume right away.
It’s still unclear whether the administration plans to follow through on its threat to penalize states it says acted without authorization.
