Arizona SNAP recipients wait as administration takes legal battle back to Supreme Court

PHOENIX – SNAP recipients in Arizona and across the U.S. remained in limbo as President Donald Trump’s administration continued efforts to withhold funding for the federal food aid program, even amid signs that the shutdown could end soon.

Federal government lawyers returned to the Supreme Court on Monday to make their latest push to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on hold.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer confirmed that the federal government still wants lower-court orders put on hold, though he also pointed to reports that Congress could soon end the shutdown, with a compromise that would fund SNAP, in a letter to the justices.

On Friday, the Supreme Court granted the administration’s emergency appeal to temporarily block a court order to fully fund SNAP food aid payments amid the government shutdown, even though residents in some states already have received the funds.

The nation’s highest court is expected to decide late Tuesday whether to extend the freeze.

Judge issues new ruling on Arizona’s SNAP lawsuit

Meanwhile, the plaintiffs in a multistate lawsuit, including Arizona, got a favorable ruling when a federal judge approved their request for a temporary restraining order against a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) demand to “undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits.”

The USDA, which administers SNAP, indicated last week it would comply with a court order to fully fund the program for November.

But after some states, including Arizona, started processing benefits, the USDA reversed course Saturday, prompting the states’ request for a temporary restraining order.

“In processing full SNAP benefits for November, Arizona was following USDA’s own guidance as well as a court order,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a press release Monday. “The Trump administration’s cruel and chaotic attempt to undo their earlier guidance continues to confuse and harm families who need access to their SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families. We will keep fighting in court to ensure Arizonans have access to food.”

SNAP helps about 42 million Americans, including approximately 900,000 Arizonans, buy groceries with EBT debit cards, aka food stamps.

As the SNAP legal battle continues, the Senate took an initial step toward reopening the government with a proposed deal that includes full funding for the food aid program.

The deal advanced Sunday night does not include the extension of health insurance subsidies that Democrats had been seeking. Arizona Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly were among the majority of Senate Democrats who voted against moving the legislation forward.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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