MILWAUKEE - There is a deal on the table to open the U.S. government. But until that deal is signed, sealed and delivered, there's a tug of war over food assistance benefits – and recipients are caught in the middle.
Food assistance questions
What we know:
This battle creates confusion for grocers and for those getting the benefits, including 700,000 people in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin was one of the first states to send out full SNAP benefits. On Monday, Nov. 10, reporters as Gov. Tony Evers if that was a mistake. The governor replied, "Hell no, hell no. The people are part of this program deserve a 100%."
What's at stake?
Dig deeper:
The Trump administration planned on sending out only 65% of people's usual allotment of food assistance. But Wisconsin sent out full benefits overnight from Thursday into Friday. This came after a lower court judge ruled the Trump administration must fund the full benefits. Wisconsin's money went out in a one-day window, which closed when Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson put a hold on that ruling during the appeals process.
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In a letter to states like Wisconsin, the USDA called the full payments "unauthorized." It was on to say the following:
"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."
Gov. Evers weighs in
What they're saying:
Over the weekend, Gov. Evers issued a brief response, "No." On Monday, he elaborated.
"The fact they are trying to claw that back, that’s embarrassing, that’s embarrassing for any president of the United States, whether it’s Donald Trump or somebody else," Evers said. "They are not getting it back. It’s for the people that are part of this program."
Gov. Tony Evers
The USDA warned states that they risk losing federal money and having to use state money to cover the cost. Officials said the following in a statement:
"…failure 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."
"He’s not going to do it. It’s not going to happen. He can claw all he wants and get his big fingers out there and start bringing it back. It is not going to happen," Gov. Evers said. "So clawing something back that he can’t claw back, is a dream maybe for him, but it has been a nightmare for people."
Playing out in courts
What's next:
This is all playing out in the courts. The issue has now gone to the U.S. Supreme Court for a second time.
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Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Grocers Association issued the following statement:
"The Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA) recognizes that the unprecedented chaos in the administering of the FoodShare program is causing a lot of concern and misinformation…The state of Wisconsin has affirmed grocers are accepting FoodShare. FoodShare benefits remain active and usable at authorized retailers across the state."
The Source: Information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.