(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge has ruled to continue blocking the Trump administration from enforcing a directive that would retract full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This decision comes as the administration seeks to reverse hundreds of millions of dollars in food assistance that were recently distributed to recipients.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani expressed her disapproval during a hearing on Monday, stating that the administration's actions appeared to be “playing vindictive games” with states that had already issued benefits. “It would seem to me that if the agency is trying to comply with the law and with the executive branch’s preferences on policies, a piece of that wouldn’t be trying to play vindictive games with the states. That’s not part of it,” she said.

The controversy began after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) informed states last week that it was working to implement full benefit issuances for November 2025, in compliance with a court order. However, shortly after, the USDA instructed states to “immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025.” This directive has created confusion among the states, as many had already begun processing full benefit payments.

During the hearing, Judge Talwani noted, “What you have right now is confusion of the agency’s own making.” The USDA's memo indicated that states had acted without authorization when they sent full payment files for November 2025.

In response to the ongoing legal battle, the Trump administration has requested the Supreme Court to stay the order that mandates full funding of SNAP benefits. Solicitor General John Sauer argued that allowing district courts to intervene in the government shutdown could lead to “irreparable harms.” He emphasized the need for Congress to finalize the shutdown without judicial interference.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who paused the order late Friday, is expected to review the case again on Tuesday. The administration has indicated that if the government reopens, its request for a stay may become moot. However, it still seeks permission to make only partial payments for SNAP benefits this month.

On Friday, the administration requested an emergency stay of a ruling by U.S. District Judge John McConnell, which ordered full funding for SNAP. The administration proposed to partially fund SNAP with approximately $4.5 billion, arguing that the remaining funds were necessary to support Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs.

Late Sunday, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the administration’s appeal, stating that the harm to millions of Americans relying on SNAP benefits outweighed any potential harm to the government. Judge Julie Rikelman noted, “These immediate, predictable, and unchallenged harms facing forty-two million Americans who rely on SNAP benefits — including fourteen million children — weigh heavily against a stay.”