MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- As the Trump administration instructed states that they must "immediately undo any steps" that were taken to provide full SNAP benefits to low-income Americans, saying states were "unauthorized," Governor Tony Evers rejected the order.

The USDA sent a memo to states Saturday, Nov. 8 suggesting they "must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025" after Wisconsin and other states distributed payments Friday following a federal court directive.

Evers began his Sunday response with a one-word statement: "No."

The governor said Wisconsin loaded benefits to cards consistent with an active court order, ensuring nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites, including nearly 270,000 kids, had access to food and groceries. He said the Trump Administration assured states after the payments went out that they were "actively working to implement full SNAP benefits for November" but have failed to do so.

In a statement, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said the Trump Administration's attempt to block food assistance puts 230,000 Milwaukee County residents at risk of going hungry.

"The fact that the Trump administration is fighting to block food assistance, knowingly putting more than 42 million Americans, including 230,000 people here in Milwaukee County, at risk of going hungry, is beyond unconscionable," Crowley said in a statement. "It's immoral and unethical."

Crowley thanked Evers for "standing up and pushing back against this cruel and calculated attempt to starve families."

The dispute follows the FoodShare program running out of funding Nov. 1.

Evers led a coalition of governors filing a letter before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday asking the court to reject the Trump Administration's effort to halt SNAP payments.

In the court filing, it said the state is “now at risk of having insufficient SNAP funds to reimburse local food stores and retailers for FoodShare members.”

Kala Ellis, a woman who qualifies for SNAP and lives in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood, said she’s worried about what the uncertain future means for her family being able to purchase food.

“I think it’s sad because a lot of families are already out here struggling, and for them not to give you your snap benefits, it’s a lot of people that’s going to go hungry,” Ellis said.

With uncertainty surrounding the end of the government shutdown, it is unclear at this point what local food providers who sold items to people with SNAP benefits.