On Friday, the Trump administration petitioned a federal appeals court to block a judge’s order mandating the distribution of full monthly food stamp benefits, despite the ongoing federal government shutdown. This legal maneuver occurs even as several states, including Wisconsin, have begun to expedite benefit payments to eligible recipients.

U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. previously instructed the administration to disburse funds through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by Friday, following the administration’s announcement last month that it would not distribute November benefits due to the government shutdown.

Despite this legal backdrop, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’s spokesperson, Britt Cudaback, confirmed that some SNAP beneficiaries in the state received their complete November payments. “We’ve received confirmation that payments went through, including members reporting they can now see their balances,” she stated.

The situation poses significant challenges for the food program, which serves approximately one in eight Americans, primarily those with lower incomes. The litigation has extended an already tense period of uncertainty for many households dependent on these benefits.

In a separate ruling last week, two judges ordered the government to utilize emergency funds to partially fulfill its obligations. Initially, the administration indicated it would cover only 50% of the benefits but later revised that commitment to 65%.