Supreme Court Rules Complete Snap Food Benefits Can Be Put on Hold.
The US Supreme Court has granted an emergency order that temporarily allows the Trump administration to delay billions in funding for food benefits used by countless needy U.S. residents.
Administration officials appealed to the Supreme Court after a lower court ordered that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, called food stamps, should be distributed completely to beneficiaries by the end of the week.
The programme has been caught in uncertainty by the continuing budget impasse, with the Trump administration arguing it could only afford to partially fund it.
Friday's ruling means £3.04bn can be held back for now until more court proceedings.
SNAP's Reach
This nutrition aid is used by tens of millions of U.S. citizens - approximately 12% - and requires almost $9bn a each month.
On Thursday, a federal magistrate, the presiding judge, accused the Trump administration of withholding food aid "due to political motives" and said that without the assistance "millions of kids are immediately at risk of facing hunger".
The judge mandated the administration to fund the programme completely.
Court Proceedings
The Thursday ruling followed another that required the administration to dip into contingency funds to at least partially fund the assistance for last month.
The legal saga was spurred after the USDA, which manages the Snap programme, announced payments would be halted in the fall due to the budget shortfall over the shutdown.
Prior to the high court's action, the Agriculture Department said it was attempting to follow with the various court orders and was taking steps to distribute the complete amount.
High Court's Move
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson granted the stay late Friday, called an administrative stay, pausing the lower court's ruling for two days while federal attorneys pursue an appeal.
This dispute over food aid funding has become among the most contentious of what is now the lengthiest budget standoff in American history.
Broader Impact
Government workers have been unpaid for over 30 days and air travel has been disrupted as Congress members cannot reach a deal to pass a budget.
Several states have drawn on their own financial reserves to keep food benefits flowing, which are worth around six dollars to users via pre-loaded debit cards which can be redeemed in grocery stores.
However, certain states have said they are unable to replace the funding which has been cut by the U.S. treasury.