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Rollins v. Rhode Island State Council of Churches

Justice Jackson granted the Trump administration's request for an administrative stay on Nov. 7, 2025. On Nov. 11, the court extended the administrative stay. Jackson indicated that she would not have extended the administrative stay, and that she would have turned down the government's request. On Nov. 13, the stay request was withdrawn.

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
25a539 D.R.I. TBD TBD N/A N/A OT 2025

Issue: Whether the Supreme Court should pause a district court's orders requiring the Trump administration to fully fund November Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) payments.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
11/07/2025Application (25A539) for a stay, submitted to Justice Jackson.
11/07/2025Letter of applicant Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. filed.
11/07/2025Order entered by Justice Jackson: The applicants are seeking a stay of two orders of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, case No. 1:25-cv-569. See D. Ct. Minute Entry (Oct. 31, 2025) and Docket Number 34 (Nov. 6, 2025). These orders require the applicants to fully fund benefits for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (“SNAP”) for the month of November, and to distribute that funding by the end of the day on November 7, 2025 (today). Earlier today, the applicants asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to stay the District Court’s orders pending appeal, and to issue an administrative stay to facilitate its consideration of that stay motion. At 6:08 p.m., the First Circuit denied the applicants’ request for an administrative stay, but stated that it “intend[s] to issue a decision on [the stay pending appeal] motion as quickly as possible.” Rhode Island State Council of Churches v. Rollins, No. 25-2089 (CA1 Nov. 7, 2025). The applicants filed an application in this Court this evening, requesting a stay of the two District Court orders “pending the disposition of the government’s appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and, if the court of appeals affirms those orders, pending the timely filing and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari in this Court.” Application at 1. The applicants assert that, without intervention from this Court, they will have to “transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight” to fund SNAP benefits through November. Ibid. Given the First Circuit’s representations, an administrative stay is required to facilitate the First Circuit’s expeditious resolution of the pending stay motion. It is ordered that the District Court’s orders are hereby administratively stayed pending disposition of the motion for a stay pending appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in case No. 25-2089 or further order of Justice Jackson or of the Court. This administrative stay will terminate forty-eight hours after the First Circuit’s resolution of the pending motion, which the First Circuit is expected to issue with dispatch.
11/10/2025Order entered by Justice Jackson: In light of the First Circuit’s order partially denying the motion for a stay and given the exigencies involved in this matter, it is ordered that, by 11:00 a.m. (EST) on November 10, 2025, the applicants shall provide the Court with notice of their intention to continue to pursue a stay of the District Court’s orders from this Court via the pending stay application. If the applicants do intend to seek a stay, it is further ordered, that (1) applicants shall submit any supplemental brief under Rule 15.8 in support of the stay application by 4:00 p.m. (EST) on November 10, 2025; and (2) respondents shall file a response to the application and any of the supplemental arguments by 8:00 a.m. (EST) on November 11, 2025.
11/10/2025Letter of applicant Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. filed.
11/10/2025Supplemental brief of applicant Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. filed.
11/10/2025Brief amici curiae of Bipartisan Former Governors filed.
11/11/2025Response to application from respondent Rhode Island State Council of Churches, et al. filed.
11/11/2025Application (25A539) referred to the Court.
11/11/2025The application for stay presented to Justice Jackson is referred to the Court. The administrative stay entered on November 7, 2025, is hereby extended until 11:59 p.m. (EST) on November 13, 2025. Justice Jackson would deny the request for extension of the administrative stay and would deny the application.
11/12/2025Brief amici curiae of Local Governments, et al. filed.
11/12/2025Brief amici curiae of Massachusetts, et al. filed.
11/13/2025Letter withdrawing the application filed.
11/13/2025Application (25A539) withdrawn.