Millions of Americans face hunger due to SNAP funding hold-up

More than 40 million Americans used the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, to help put food on the table each month throughout fiscal year 2025. USDA reported. But access to these benefits could soon end for friends and neighbors as Senate Republicans prepare to oppose a bill that would maintain federal aid for the program, the newspaper reported. politiko. The Trump administration has little hope for presidential intervention. said There are no plans to tap into the emergency fund. So 25 states are responding with only one option: suing their governments.

So far, 25 states have announced plans to sue the administration to keep funding flowing to the SNAP program in November, asking the administration to tap into emergency funds to ensure people continue to have access to food. CBS reported.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said: “Donald Trump is parading around the world trying to repair the economic damage caused by his own incompetence while failing to feed the millions of Americans who will go hungry next month. This is cruel and speaks to his basic lack of humanity. He doesn’t care about the people of this country, he only cares about himself.” shared in a statement The state outlined plans to sue.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Mr. Newsom’s wife, added, “When families don’t know where their next meal will come from, our government is failing in its most basic duty to care for its citizens. The Trump administration’s decision to withhold already-funded food assistance leaves millions of Americans in fear and uncertainty. As a state, we know we must stand up and fight back.”

Other states participating in this effort include Massachusetts, Arizona, Minnesota, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

“Ultimately, the costs associated with many of these damages will be borne by the states,” the states said in the report. lawsuitargues that it is illegal for the federal government to withhold funding from the program. “Loss of SNAP benefits leads to food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition and is associated with a host of negative outcomes that negatively impact children’s health, including poor concentration, cognitive decline, fatigue, depression, and behavioral problems.”

According to new york timesthe states are asking the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts to rule by Friday on the use of $5 billion to $6 billion in emergency funds that would pay at least some of the benefits to people currently enrolled in the program. But as Politico noted, even if the administration were required to release these funds, it could take weeks before people can access them.

The USDA issued a strong banner statement about its contents. WebsiteIt reads: “Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to defund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bottom line is the well is dry. At this time, no benefits will be issued on November 1st. We are nearing a tipping point for Senate Democrats. They can either continue to provide medical and sexual mutilation treatment for illegal aliens, or they can reopen the government so mothers can feel safe.” Babies and the most vulnerable among us can receive vital nutritional support. ”

Food banks across the country are preparing for a significant increase in demand, but states like Connecticut are Release your own emergency fund To help. But it’s probably far from enough.

“Food pantries, churches and nonprofits are doing a great job, but they cannot scale up to meet the needs of the 600,000 children who won’t have enough to eat starting next week,” said North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. shared in a statement. “This was a deliberate attempt to create a major crisis.”