New rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are scheduled to go into effect Saturday, even as the ongoing federal government shutdown is expected to delay the distribution of benefits through November unless new funding is approved.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), SNAP benefit distribution will be paused starting November 1 because the program has not received new appropriations. USDA officials have attributed the funding lapse to the ongoing budget impasse in Congress. The department’s website states that without a funding agreement, federal agencies are unable to issue benefits for the new month.
While the shutdown affects immediate benefit distribution, a separate set of policy changes—passed earlier this year under the administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act—are also slated to begin this weekend. These changes are projected to reduce federal SNAP spending by an estimated $186 billion over ten years and will tighten eligibility requirements for certain recipients.
Work Requirements Expanded
The most significant changes apply to able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). These adults must now provide proof that they work, are enrolled in job training, or attend school for at least 80 hours per month. Individuals who do not meet this threshold will be limited to three months of SNAP benefits over a three-year period.
Currently, parents with children under 18 are exempt from these work requirements. Under the new rules, the exemption applies only to parents of children under the age of 14. Additionally, groups previously granted broader flexibility—including young adults who recently aged out of foster care, veterans, and unhoused individuals—will now also be required to meet work requirements to receive extended benefits.
Eligibility Changes for Non-Citizens
The new policies also modify eligibility rules for several categories of non-citizens. State agencies will be required to reassess SNAP eligibility more frequently during certification periods. According to guidance circulated by some state agencies, certain groups—including refugees and survivors of human trafficking—may lose benefits once the new rules take effect.
Funding Questions Remain
The central issue facing SNAP recipients this month remains whether contingency funds can be used to keep benefits flowing during the shutdown.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge John McConnell ruled that the USDA cannot immediately halt SNAP benefits and questioned the government’s claim that emergency funds are restricted to natural disasters. The USDA has approximately $5.25 billion available in contingency funding, but the department has stated that providing full benefits for November would cost roughly $9.2 billion.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said that using the reserve funds without a new federal budget would jeopardize the government’s ability to respond to disasters later in the year. However, the court ruling and ongoing legal challenges have left the situation uncertain.
Later in the day, President Trump acknowledged the conflicting legal opinions and said he would seek further guidance from the courts.
“I do not want Americans to go hungry,” the president said in a statement posted on social media. “I have directed legal teams to determine the fastest lawful way to resume benefits.”
Millions Affected
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