The Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP food aid from recipients in most Democratic-controlled states starting next week unless they provide data about those receiving the assistance. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Tuesday that the action is in the works because those states are refusing to provide requested information about the recipients, including their names and immigration status. She says it's necessary that states comply to root out fraud in the program. Democratic states have sued to block the requirement. About 42 million lower-income Americans rely on SNAP to help buy groceries. The average monthly benefit is about $190 per person.

As Americans prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, the gratitude many feel is tempered by doubts caused by the disruptions of the recent government shutdown. Washington has reopened but insecurity lingers. In one Missouri community, a single mother is relieved by the restoration of benefits that help feed her children but feels newly vulnerable. A retired school cafeteria worker who hosts a free holiday feast in the community has upped her plans to 700 meals to account for the food insecurity. A U.S. customs worker in Florida who worked for weeks without pay is grateful for the invitation to a meal her family would otherwise be unable to afford.

State officials are working to restore full SNAP benefits to millions of people after the long U.S. government shutdown has finally ended. Some state officials said Thursday that full November SNAP benefits should be available to spend on groceries by Friday, if not sooner. A series of court rulings and shifting policies from the Trump administration had led to inconsistent distribution of November benefits. About two-thirds of states had issued only partial or no benefits before the shutdown ended Wednesday night. The federal food program serves about 42 million people in lower-income households.

Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again. Late last month, the Trump administration froze funding for the SNAP benefits that about 42 million Americans use to buy groceries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about 74% of the assistance was spent last year at superstores like Walmart and supermarkets like Kroger. Around 14% went to smaller stores that are more accessible to SNAP beneficiaries. A former director of the United Nations World Food Program says SNAP is not only a social safety net for families but a local economic engine that supports neighborhood businesses.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to announce whether the Trump administration must start complying with lower court orders that require full payments in the SNAP food program. The administration accepted a pair of earlier rulings that said it must provide at least partial benefits. But there has been an intense court battle underway since last week after a judge ruled that full funding was required. SNAP helps about 1 in 8 American buy groceries. For many of them, November's payments are already delayed. Resuming the program is a piece of the legislation adopted by the Senate and now headed to the House on to reopen the federal government. A high court decision is expected Tuesday.

The Trump administration has asked a federal appeals court to block a judge's order to distribute November's full SNAP benefits during a U.S. government shutdown. A U.S. district judge had given the administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. However, the administration is seeking to suspend any court orders requiring it to spend more money than available in a contingency fund. Meanwhile, some states, such as California, New Jersey and Wisconsin, have already started distributing the payments. The ongoing court battle adds to weeks of uncertainty for the food program, which serves about 1 in 8 Americans.