Amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, the Trump administration informed a Rhode Island federal judge on Monday that it would allocate billions in emergency funds to cover 50% of November’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

SNAP, which stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides food stamps to approximately 42 million low-income Americans.

In court filings, the administration rejected a proposal by Judge Jack McConnell, who had suggested reallocating at least $4 billion from child nutrition programs along with unspecified funding sources to fully cover November’s SNAP benefits.

Instead, the government opted to use the remaining $4.65 billion in emergency SNAP funds appropriated by Congress, stating that the amount would "cover 50% of the current benefit levels for eligible households in November."

Judge McConnell ruled on Friday that the government could not halt SNAP benefits. Prior to the ruling, the Trump administration had resisted tapping emergency funds despite the shutdown, which began on October 1.

Previous administrations, including Donald Trump’s first term, have used emergency funds to sustain SNAP benefits during government shutdowns.

It remains unclear when states will begin distributing the benefits. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated on Sunday that payments could be processed by Wednesday.

In Monday’s filing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stated it would "fulfill its duty by fully utilizing SNAP emergency funds and issuing benefit calculation tables for states to determine individual household eligibility."

Once the tables are released, the USDA will authorize states to start disbursing benefits.

Advocacy group "Democracy Forward," which represented plaintiffs in the case leading to McConnell’s ruling, criticized the administration for not fully funding SNAP benefits by Monday.

CEO Skye Perryman said in a statement, "We are reviewing the government’s court filings and exploring all legal avenues to ensure full benefits are disbursed."

Perryman added, "Ensuring basic nutrition should not require a court order—Congress has already mandated these protections."

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy noted in a statement, "The Trump administration now acknowledges what we’ve known all along—these funds were always available, and the President could have used them to prevent hunger."

"We await clarity on the exact amount and timing of these benefits, but the President must go further," Healy said. "He should commit to fully funding SNAP and expediting full payments."

Judge McConnell’s Saturday ruling offered the USDA two options:

1. Fully fund November’s SNAP benefits by Monday’s end, using Section 32 child nutrition funds and unspecified sources. 2. Use partial emergency funds to distribute benefits by Wednesday while resolving administrative hurdles.

In a separate filing, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Patrick Payne stated that diverting child nutrition funds was considered but deemed unviable.

"Section 32 funds are not SNAP emergency reserves," Payne said. "Diverting billions would create an unprecedented shortfall in child nutrition programs, with no guarantee Congress would act to fill the gap."

He emphasized that child nutrition programs support initiatives like school lunches and summer meal services for children.