Congress then stepped in, and in one of its economic stabilization packages, waived the work requirement for the duration of the national emergency, in addition to another month. Now the administration has reached agreement with the states that had sued it on a schedule for the remaining events in the case. The agreement is contingent on the department not appealing the temporary injunction, and a final ruling is likely to be issued in the fall.

Asked about the department’s plan to appeal the court ruling, Mr. Perdue said the department would “comply with the legislation which really pauses that during this public health emergency.”

“While we, in a normal situation, were moving in a way to enforce what the common thinking was regarding food supply, we are going to be as flexible as we can,” he said.

The food stamps program stimulates the economy when it needs it most, by expanding when people need help the most, said Lauren Bauer, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and contributor to a new report that looks at the Trump administration’s food stamp rule.

The one thing many Americans are leaving their houses to do right now is buy groceries, she said. The money is put directly back into the economy. And because Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits can be used for food, people can use their cash for something else such as rent or medical expenses.