U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials on Saturday told states to “undo any steps” that were taken in recent days to disperse full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November.
In a memo, the agency told states to release only 65 percent of SNAP benefits, known as food stamps, during the ongoing government shutdown. States that already sent the additional 35 percent are mandated to claw it back, it said.
“To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized. Accordingly, States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025,” the USDA said, warning that it could take action against states if the money is not returned or if 100 percent is sent to beneficiaries.
The memo said that failure by states “to comply with this memorandum may result in USDA taking various actions, including cancellation of the Federal share of State administrative costs and holding States liable for any overissuances that result from the noncompliance.”
It added that the USDA is still working to keep the states informed about the funding situation.
The memo was issued in light of the U.S. Supreme Court order on Nov. 7 that granted the Trump administration’s emergency appeal to block a lower court order that required 100 percent of benefits sent out during the shutdown. That lower court judge had given the Republican administration until Friday to make the payments, prompting the appeal.