US shutdown impact deepens: New York declares state of emergency, suspends food aid

New York (The Uttam Hindu): The shutdown in the United States is still ongoing, causing significant hardship. Federal food aid will now be cut off in New York due to the shutdown. A state of emergency has been declared.

The US is facing significant economic losses due to the shutdown. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new $65 million state fund for emergency food aid and promised to provide 40 million meals to New Yorkers, reports Xinhua news agency.

Millions of people are at risk of losing their food stamp benefits, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), due to the prolonged US federal government shutdown. SNAP is vital for low-income families. Earlier this month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) told state agencies to halt distributions for November until further notice due to insufficient funds.

“As the Republican Party’s federal government shutdown continues, the Trump administration has refused to release billions of dollars in statutorily authorized federal emergency funds to states across the country to address this crisis,” Hochul said.

In recent days, several states have stepped up efforts to ensure SNAP recipients can afford food in November. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed an emergency declaration last week to fund SNAP benefits for beneficiaries who rely on the program, while Vermont lawmakers on Wednesday approved a plan to fund food stamp benefits for state residents through November 15.

In New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday that her state will provide $30 million in emergency food assistance to residents through EBT cards, temporarily compensating for SNAP benefits.

Additionally, Democratic governors and attorneys general from 25 US states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday, challenging the president's decision to conclude he lacked the authority to use emergency funds to continue food aid for millions of Americans next month.

They urged the court to force the USDA to use contingency funds allocated by Congress to keep the program running. SNAP is the nation's largest anti-hunger program, serving approximately 42 million people. Most SNAP recipients live at or below the federal poverty line.