Overview
- State agencies in Texas, California, Illinois, New York, Minnesota, Florida and others are warning residents that November benefits may not be issued if the shutdown persists past late October, with Texas citing Oct. 27 as a cutoff.
- Pennsylvania has already paused some SNAP payments, starting Oct. 16, signaling early disruptions as states follow federal directives.
- USDA contingency resources are widely reported near $6 billion, short of the roughly $8 billion needed to cover full November benefits, leaving a potential funding gap without new appropriations.
- Food banks and pantries from Chicago to Detroit report preparing for a surge in demand, cautioning they could be overwhelmed if benefits are delayed or suspended.
- Partisan recriminations are intensifying, with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins blaming Democrats for the shutdown as governors like Gavin Newsom and Kathy Hochul accuse the Trump administration of withholding funds; the White House has used tariff revenue to prop up WIC, a step not seen as sufficient for SNAP.