Food Assistance Remains in Limbo Amid Legal Back-and-Forth | Civil Eats
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The Trump administration is continuing efforts to halt a federal court order requiring it to release full food assistance benefits.
November 10, 2025
November 10, 2025 – The Trump administration said Monday it will continue efforts to block full food assistance from being released during the governm…
Food Assistance Remains in Limbo Amid Legal Back-and-Forth | Civil Eats
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The Trump administration is continuing efforts to halt a federal court order requiring it to release full food assistance benefits.
November 10, 2025
November 10, 2025 – The Trump administration said Monday it will continue efforts to block full food assistance from being released during the government shutdown, after a weekend of back-and-forth in the courts.
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On Monday afternoon, the administration informed the U.S. Supreme Court that it intends to pursue a stay from a federal order that requires full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to be released immediately. That order came Thursday, and set off a series of legal challenges over the weekend.
The back-and-forth not only delays many SNAP recipients from receiving any benefits, but also adds to the confusion around when benefits may arrive.
Ashley Bates, a mother of four in Cottage Grove, Tennessee, said SNAP has helped her to cover other expenses while still keeping her children fed. Since benefits were delayed at the start of the month, however, she’s had to make choices between food and paying bills.
“Now the question is, every time I see a tow truck, is it coming to get my car?” Bates told Civil Eats. “Am I gonna lose my car because I chose not to make car payments so my kids could eat?”
While the court action continues over the federal order, several states have already moved ahead with issuing full benefits as of last Friday. In some states, like New York, recipients saw benefits added to their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.
On Saturday, the USDA told states in a memo to stop issuing full benefits and to claw back any benefits already issued. The agency threatened to cancel federal cost-sharing for the program for any state that fails to comply with the memo.
In response, several states asked acourt to block the USDA directive and require all SNAP benefits be released. A Massachusetts federal judge on Monday sided with the states and temporarily blocked enforcement of the USDA’s memo. A hearing and further deliberations are expected Monday.
During a press conference with several state attorneys general on Monday, New York Attorney General Letitia James said reports have begun to circulate that some grocery stores are not accepting EBT cards. The “chaos” at the federal level does not change the responsibility of SNAP retailers to consumers, she said, and they need to accept these benefits if they are available.
“If you have your benefits, use them,” James said.
The SNAP confusion comes as lawmakers are moving toward ending the shutdown.
Several Senate Democrats voted with Republicans on Sunday night on a procedural measure to allow a package of appropriations bills and a short-term funding measure to proceed. The Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration appropriations bill is one of the pieces of the package.
That bill includes a $603 million increase to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). It would also fully fund SNAP and other mandatory nutrition programs for fiscal year 2026. This also includes the national school lunch and breakfast program. It also funds the multi-year SNAP contingency fund, which the administration initially resisted using to partially fund benefits earlier this month.
The Senate could vote as early as Monday to pass the package. It would then need approval from the House. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has put House members on a 36-hour notice to return to Washington, D.C., after keeping the chamber out of session for over 50 days. He’s aiming to hold a vote as early as Wednesday, according to Politico. (Link to this post).
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Rebekah Alvey is a staff reporter for Civil Eats. Read more >