A federal appeals court in Boston has firmly rejected the Trump administration’s latest attempt to block court-ordered payments of full SNAP benefits to 42 million Americans during the ongoing government shutdown. The Sunday decision by a three-judge panel of the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals marks the second time the court has denied administration efforts to halt food assistance payments.
The legal battle continues escalating as states like Maine prepare to distribute benefits while the administration faces mounting pressure from multiple directions. Despite the appeals court victory for SNAP recipients, the Supreme Court has temporarily paused enforcement of lower court orders, creating uncertainty about when benefits will actually reach struggling families.
Appeals court criticizes government delay tactics
Circuit Court Judge Julie Rikelman delivered sharp criticism of the administration’s handling of the SNAP crisis in the panel’s Sunday decision. The court noted that government officials had nearly a month to prepare for partial payments but failed to act while millions of Americans went without food assistance.
The appeals panel emphasized that the current crisis could have been avoided with proper planning and preparation. Their decision highlighted how the administration sat idle for weeks while SNAP recipients received no benefits well into November, creating unnecessary hardship for vulnerable populations.
The court found that the district judge had not abused discretion in requiring full November SNAP benefit payments after the government failed to comply with earlier temporary restraining orders. This legal reasoning strengthens the foundation for continued judicial intervention in SNAP funding decisions.
Maine prepares benefit distribution amid legal uncertainty
Governor Janet Mills announced that Maine expects to issue SNAP benefits to nearly 170,000 residents despite the ongoing legal challenges. The state moved quickly to implement federal court orders requiring full benefit payments, even as the Trump administration demanded states reverse such payments.
Mills characterized the administration’s actions as callous and cruel, noting that Maine’s SNAP recipients include predominantly children, seniors, and disabled individuals who depend on food assistance for basic nutrition. The governor criticized the administration for pursuing legal challenges instead of working with Congress to end the government shutdown.
Maine officials confirmed they would proceed with benefit distribution regardless of shifting federal guidance. The state has received six different sets of conflicting instructions from the Department of Agriculture over the past month, creating administrative chaos for state programs nationwide.
Legal precedent broken during shutdown crisis
The Trump administration broke decades of established precedent on October 24 when it announced it would not pay November SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown. Previous administrations had consistently maintained full SNAP payments during government closures, recognizing the program’s critical importance for food security.
The administration rejected using a $4.6 billion contingency fund that Congress had specifically allocated to backstop SNAP operations during funding gaps. This decision prompted immediate legal challenges from nonprofits, local governments, unions, and food retailers seeking to protect benefit access for vulnerable populations.
District Court Judge Jack McConnell initially ordered the administration to make partial payments using available contingency funds while investigating other funding sources. When the administration indicated it would only pay 65% of benefits, McConnell expanded his order to require full payments using Section 32 agricultural funds.
Supreme Court intervention creates temporary pause
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a temporary pause of lower court orders after the administration requested emergency intervention from the Supreme Court. The 48-hour pause prevents immediate enforcement of benefit payment requirements while higher courts consider broader legal questions about shutdown funding priorities.
The administration is expected to request permanent Supreme Court intervention to block full SNAP payments throughout the shutdown period. This escalation to the nation’s highest court reflects the broader constitutional questions about executive branch responsibilities during government funding lapses.
Congressional leaders are simultaneously considering SNAP funding as part of bipartisan proposals to end the government shutdown entirely. Senate passage of initial shutdown resolution steps could resolve the crisis within days and restore normal SNAP operations through September.
The legal battle affects approximately 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP benefits for food security, with states like Maine serving particularly vulnerable populations where nearly 12.5% of residents receive assistance.