Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Issues Stay, Questioning Constitutionality Of Lower Court Orders
Saturday, November 8, 2025, 9:15 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor: Englebrook Independent News,
WASHINGTON, DC.- In a significant decision with far-reaching implications, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday granted the Trump administration’s appeal in its ongoing dispute over federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The decision temporarily halts lower court rulings that had required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to continue financing the food assistance program for more than 40 million low-income Americans.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, writing the order on behalf of the Court, issued a stay against both the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She stated that the prior rulings “raise substantial constitutional concerns,” particularly regarding the judiciary’s authority to compel the executive branch to allocate funds that Congress has not expressly appropriated.
“The separation of powers requires careful adherence to the constitutional limits on judicial authority,” Justice Jackson wrote. “This Court finds sufficient reason to believe that the lower court’s mandate may have encroached upon the executive’s discretion in budget execution.”
The Trump administration’s USDA had sought emergency relief after the Rhode Island District Court and the appellate panel ruled that the agency was obligated to maintain SNAP funding levels through the end of the fiscal year, citing potential harm to families dependent on the program. The administration argued that those orders violated statutory spending limits and infringed upon the executive branch’s constitutional powers over appropriations and budgetary priorities.
Friday’s Supreme Court order effectively suspends enforcement of the lower court rulings while the justices consider the case in full during their upcoming term. The Court’s acceptance of the appeal signals that it views the matter as raising significant constitutional and administrative law questions, including whether federal courts may compel an executive agency to fund programs absent new congressional appropriations.
Advocacy groups and Democratic lawmakers expressed concern that the decision could jeopardize food security for millions of American households, particularly as winter approaches. The USDA, however, stated that it remains committed to “identifying lawful and fiscally responsible measures to assist eligible families within available resources.”
The Supreme Court could expect to hear oral arguments early next year, with a final ruling anticipated by late spring or early summer 2026. It is time for Senate Democrats and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to stop holding Americans hostage and end the political standoff by voting for the continuing resolution, giving way to reopening the government.
Editor’s Note:
This report is based on official Supreme Court filings, statements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and public records from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Reporting and compilation by Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor, Englebrook Independent News.
