The Highest Court Decides Full Snap Food Aid Can Be Put on Hold.

America's top court has issued an emergency order that temporarily allows the federal government to withhold billions of dollars for nutrition assistance relied on by millions of low-income Americans.

Administration officials sought relief from the country's highest court after a federal judge ordered that the SNAP program, called food stamps, should be distributed completely to recipients by Friday.

This assistance has been caught in uncertainty by the continuing budget impasse, with the Trump administration claiming it could only afford to partially fund it.

Friday's ruling means £3.04bn can be held back for now until more court proceedings.

SNAP's Reach

The Snap programme is used by tens of millions of U.S. citizens - approximately 12% - and requires almost $9bn a each month.

On Thursday, a Rhode Island judge, the presiding judge, alleged the government of blocking nutrition funds "for political reasons" and said that without the aid "millions of kids are immediately at risk of going hungry".

The judge mandated the government to pay out the programme completely.

Court Proceedings

This decision came after that ordered the administration to use reserve money to at least partially fund the programme for November.

This court battle was triggered after the USDA, which manages the Snap programme, stated payments would be halted in the fall due to the budget shortfall over the shutdown.

Prior to the high court's action, the USDA said it was working to comply with the multiple rulings and was making efforts to distribute the full funds.

High Court's Move

Supreme Court Justice Justice Jackson granted the stay late Friday, called an administrative stay, effectively freezing the lower court's ruling for two days while government lawyer's seek to overturn it.

The row over nutrition program money has become one of the bitterest of what is now the longest government shutdown in American history.

Broader Impact

Government workers have been without pay for more than a month and flight operations has been thrown into chaos as Congress members cannot reach a compromise to fund the government.

Several states have used their own budget savings to keep food benefits flowing, which are valued at around $6 to recipients via pre-loaded debit cards which can be used in food markets.

However, certain states have said they are cannot cover the money which has been lost from the U.S. treasury.