The government shutdown on Oct. 1, 2025, affecting many services nationwide. As of Nov. 1, there are no updates regarding its end. This shutdown has affected millions of Americans, including the nearly 6,300 Cal Poly students that rely on the CalFresh Program for food assistance.

READ MORE: Government shutdown expected to impact San Luis Obispo residents

CalFresh is the California Department of Social Services’ way of distributing funds from the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Due to the government shut down, and after the Department of Agriculture declined to tap into the contingency funds, SNAP’s funding is set to run out on Nov. 1. 

Since then, half of the states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration Tuesday over the suspension of SNAP benefits. The states are asking U.S District Court Judge Indira Talwani, to order the Department of Agriculture to provide benefits through the SNAP for November by tapping into a contingency fund. State officials argue that the administration’s decision to cut off SNAP’s payments are unlawful, and can have severe consequences. 

State officials wrote in their lawsuit “This risk is heightened because it is States that operate SNAP on the ground and are forced into the position of trying to explain to needy, hungry people  — who include hardworking individuals, families with children, seniors, and veterans — why they will not be receiving the benefits they have been promised, despite the availability of funds and the federal government’s decisions to fund other programs during this shutdown.”

State officials also said shutting off SNAP benefits will cause deterioration of public health and wellbeing.

READ MORE: Government shutdown may delay CalFresh benefits for students

Judge Talwani ruled that the Trump administration has until Nov. 2 to decide to pay at least partial SNAP food benefits and provide an explanation of how they will provide the funding: partially, with the contingency funds, or fully with both those funds and money from other sources. She did not issue a temporary restraining order to force the administration to act before the funding runs out, saying that resuming payments at some point can still avoid irreparable harm to SNAP recipients. 

During the hearing on Thursday, Talwani said, “Congress has put money in an emergency fund. It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency, when there’s no money and a lot of people needing their SNAP benefits.” 

U.S District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of Rhode Island, came to a different conclusion. He granted a temporary restraining order, saying that ending SNAP payments would not only harm the people, but the local economies. McConnell ordered that the Trump administration must distribute aid from energy reserves as soon as possible. He also said it must submit a plan on how it would comply with his order, by noon on Monday.

After the rulings, President Trump posted on Truth Social saying that he has directed government lawyers to find a way to pay SNAP benefits. Trump wrote he does not want Americans to go hungry because of the shutdown, so he has asked his lawyers to assist in finding ways to legally fund SNAP. 

“If we were given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay.” Trump wrote. 

Even with the two court orders, it is still unclear how they will impact the flow of benefits. If the government turns to the contingency fund, it would only be able to cover around 60% of the beneficiaries in a month. If the funds are replenished, SNAP recipients will still be expecting a delay as it could take weeks for the cards to reload. 

If SNAP benefits continue to be suspended, this will be the first time in the program’s history since its creation in 1964.