The U.S. Supreme Court extended a temporary hold on a federal judge’s order requiring the release of $4 billion in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds on Tuesday, prolonging uncertainty for 42 million low-income Americans affected by the 2025 government shutdown. The decision allows the Trump administration to withhold food aid payments until at least Thursday, despite bipartisan Senate efforts to resolve the fiscal stalemate.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, stating she would have denied the administration’s request to maintain the freeze. The court’s move comes as lawmakers advanced a compromise bill to end the shutdown, which has left federal workers unpaid and disrupted critical services since October. If passed, the legislation could render the legal battle over SNAP funding moot.
Analysts warn the prolonged impasse risks deepening food insecurity across the U.S., with food banks reporting record demand. The shutdown, now the longest in American history, has also strained air travel and delayed tax refunds, amplifying pressure on Congress to act.
