The Trump administration told states on Friday that it will immediately begin funding SNAP benefits in full while its appeal of a federal judge's order to do so makes its way through the courts.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell ordered the administration on Thursday afternoon to deliver full payments to states by Friday, chastising it for delays that he said have likely caused SNAP recipients to go hungry .

On Friday morning, the Trump administration asked a federal appeals court for an emergency pause on the judge's order . The administration said in a court filing that because of the government shutdown, there is only enough money to pay partial benefits in November.

However, in a memo obtained by NBC News, Patrick Penn, the deputy undersecretary of the Food, Nutrition and Consu

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