November payments have been significantly delayed, forcing families to go hungry. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to distribute benefits in full by Friday.

The Trump administration said late Friday that it had filed an emergency application over food stamps at the Supreme Court, as it escalates its fight against a court ruling that would require it to fund SNAP in full in November.

More than 800,000 New Jersey children and adults who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, began November with empty debit accounts as a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Gov. Ned Lamont says he has authorized the state to pay out the entire monthly cost of the federal food assistance program using state funds.

Funding for Snap, also known as food stamps, has been at the centre of the US government shutdown as it has entered its 38th day.