Start Here Oh SNAP: Shutdown Threatens Food Programs
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Oct 28, 2025 Jay O'Brien, Capitol Hill correspondent for ABC News, provides insight into the impending SNAP funding crisis affecting 42 million Americans due to the government shutdown. He highlights how states are scrambling to address rising food bank demands while federal workers face missed paychecks. Armando Garcia, an ABC News reporter covering immigration, discusses the escalating protests against ICE in Chicago, where tensions are flaring after a commander faces scrutiny for tear gas use on demonstrators. Their perspectives shed light on critical issues facing communities today.
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Shutdown Turns Theoretical Harms Into Real Hunger
- The government shutdown's impacts have shifted from theoretical to immediate and widespread for millions of Americans.
- SNAP funding is set to run out by week's end, threatening food access for about 42 million people.
Single Mom Prepares To Sacrifice For Kids
- Simone Wilkes, a single mom in Michigan, says she'll skip meals so her children can eat if SNAP stops.
- She already plans extra night work and is bracing for severe hardship.
State Responses Won't Replace Federal SNAP
- States vary widely in their SNAP contingency plans and many cannot process benefits while the government is closed.
- State-run programs may help but cannot match the scale of federal SNAP support.