The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday (November 7) allowed President Donald Trump's administration to withhold for now about $4 billion needed to fully fund a food aid program for 42 million low-income Americans this month amid the federal government shutdown.

The court's order, known as an administrative stay, gives a lower court additional time to consider the administration's formal request to only partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, for November. The administration had faced a judge-ordered Friday deadline to fully fund the program.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who issued the stay, set it to expire two days after the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on the administration's request to halt a judge's order that the U.S. Department of Agriculture promptly pay the full amount of this month's SNAP benefits, which cost $8.5 billion to $9 billion per month.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, on Thursday (November 6) came after the administration said it would provide $4.65 billion in emergency funding to partially cover SNAP benefits for November.

SNAP benefits lapsed at the start of the month for the first time in the program's 60-year history. Recipients have turned to already strained food pantries and made sacrifices like forgoing medications to stretch tight budgets.

SNAP benefits are paid monthly to eligible Americans whose income is less than 130% of the federal poverty line. The maximum monthly benefit for the 2026 fiscal year is $298 for a one-person household and $546 for a two-person household.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - OCTOBER 30, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CAR PASSING BY LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK ENTRANCE

2. SIGN READING “LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK FIGHTING HUNGER. GIVING HOPE”

3. VARIOUS OF NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS PACKING AND PLACING BAGGED VEGETABLES ONTO A CONVEYOR BELT

4. POTATOES ON CONVEYOR BELT / MEMBERS OF NATIONAL GUARD PACKING VEGETABLES INTO BOXES

5. MEMBERS OF NATIONAL GUARD AND VOLUNTEERS PACKING VEGETABLES INTO BAGS

6. VOLUNTEER WEARING T-SHIRT READING (English): “LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK FIGHTING HUNGER. GIVING HOPE”

7. MEMBER OF NATIONAL GUARD PACKING VEGETABLES INTO BOX

8. MEMBER OF NATIONAL GUARD TAKING BAGGED VEGETABLES FROM CONVEYOR BELT

9. MEMBERS OF NATIONAL GUARD PLACING BAGGED VEGETABLES ONTO CONVEYOR BELT

10. VOLUNTEERS BAGGING VEGETABLES / MEMBERS OF NATIONAL GUARD PLACING BOXES ON GROUND

11. MEMBER OF NATIONAL GUARD TAKING BOX AWAY

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - FEBRUARY 28, 2023) (REUTERS - Access all)

12. FORKLIFT DRIVER PLACING FOOD PALLET IN TRUCK FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTOR

13. EXTERIOR OF LA REGIONAL FOOD BANK

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - AUGUST 20, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

14. OVERHEAD VIEW OF VOLUNTEERS AT NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY BAGGING PRODUCE

15. VOLUNTEERS OPENING BOX OF LETTUCE

16. BIN FULL OF ZUCCHINIS

17. BAGS OF PRODUCE ON METAL SHELF

18. VOLUNTEER BAGGING CARROTS

19. NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY EMPLOYEE BAGGING PASTA, RICE

20. VOLUNTEER OPENING BOX OF RICE

21. NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY BAGGING AREA

22. CRATE OF APPLES

23. PLASTIC BAGS OF PRODUCE

24. RADISHES / TOFU

25. PEOPLE BAGGING GRAINS AND DRY GOODS FOR CLIENTS

26. MEAT / CONTAINERS OF MILK

27. WOMAN IN NY COMMON PANTRY HAT

28. VOLUNTEER PUTTING CAN OF BEANS IN PLASTIC BAG

29. VOLUNTEER BRINGING BAGS OF PRODUCE TO CLIENT