Friday afternoon, the New Jersey Department of Human Services announced the state has issued full funded SNAP benefits for November.
“We are relieved to share that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November are now fully funded. SNAP households across New Jersey should see those benefits reflected on their EBT cards,” said Commissioner Sarah Adelman in a statement. “We acted immediately in accordance with Judge McConnell’s Thursday ruling to ensure these delayed benefits were available as soon as possible.”
U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island on Thursday ordered the administration to deliver the food assistance payments in full to states by Friday and scolded the White House for delays he said have likely caused SNAP recipients to go hungry.
Early Friday, the Trump administration asked for an emergency pause on a federal judge’s order to fully fund SNAP benefits for the month of November.
“This is a crisis, to be sure, but it is a crisis occasioned by congressional failure, and that can only be solved by congressional action,” said the Department of Justice in it’s motion.
Earlier this week the Trump administration agreed to use billions in contingency funds to cover roughly 65% of the benefits eligible households would normally receive. But lawyers for the government say because of the government shutdown there’s only enough funds to draw from to cover partial benefits this month.
In New Jersey, some 800,000 people rely on SNAP for assistance. Many are children, seniors and people with disabilities.
