The state is fully funding SNAP benefits for some 800,000 recipients in New Jersey as an ongoing court battle plays out at the federal level.

New Jersey's Department of Human Services, which administers the food assistance program, says SNAP households across the state should have seen the benefits on their EBT cards Friday morning.

The move comes after a federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to deliver the benefit payments in full to states by Friday and scolded the White House for delays the judge said likely caused people who rely on the program to go hungry.

The Trump administration asked for an emergency pause on that federal judge's order, arguing there's only enough emergency funds to draw from to cover partial benefits, which the White House agreed to do earlier in the week.

Meanwhile, food banks and other organizations have been holding emergency food distributions to help with the surge in demand as families sat in limbo over when or if they'd get those benefits this month.

New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Sarah Edelman said in a statement on Friday, "It shouldn't have come to this but the state is grateful the court intervened," adding the lapse, though, will still have a lasting impact for families and food pantries.

[MUSIC PLAYING]