Overview
- Federal judges directed the administration to continue SNAP, and the White House now says it will comply with partial payments despite President Trump’s public threat to withhold aid until the government reopens.
- Colorado officials say they have received federal guidance and are updating EBT systems, with some states estimating about a week to load reduced benefits and the USDA warning others could take weeks or months.
- Roughly 42 million people rely on SNAP, and the contingency reserve can only fund about 50% of typical November allotments, so payments will be smaller or staggered rather than fully restored.
- Food banks and pantries report sharp increases in demand and emergency distributions from California and Arizona to Florida and Ohio, stressing that charitable supplies cannot match SNAP’s scale.
- Advocates and a multistate coalition have returned to court seeking full funding and faster disbursement, arguing the administration’s partial, delayed approach violates court orders and harms families.