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New Yorkers who rely on federal food assistance could see more program disruptions in upcoming months, New York Focus reports.
This story originally appeared in New York Focus, a nonprofit news publication investigating power in New York. Sign up for their newsletter here.
After a chaotic November, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is back on track—at least for now.
The government shutdown suspended SNAP payments nationwide on Nov. 1. At the same time, New York’s social service agencies were hit with a surprise decision by the Trump administration that left them scrambling to implement expanded work requirements several months earlier than expected.
A messy legal battle involving 25 states and the Supreme Court ensued. But it wasn’t until
Congress reopened the federal government on Nov. 13 that the White House seemingly acquiesced to mounting pressure from unfavorable legal rulings.
The administration has since resumed SNAP payments and will honor an existing waiver that allows New York to delay new work requirements until next year, as originally planned.
“My brain just couldn’t wrap itself around what the heck was going on,” said Diana Ramos, an activist with Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project and a SNAP recipient from the Bronx.
Last month, as the drama unfolded in Washington, Ramos said she took out a cash advance to stay afloat and juggle costs like dog food and a secondhand winter jacket.
Her SNAP benefits finally landed in her account on Nov. 10, after New York and several other states rushed to release the payments following a court order.
Tami Wilson, chief operating officer at Feeding Westchester, said that while November’s chaos has come and gone, SNAP users are expressing more unease about the program’s future ahead of yet another potential government shutdown in February—despite assurances that SNAP funding will last through September 2026.
“You’re taking shots at SNAP from all different areas to confuse, deter, and just really be cruel to our neighbors in need,” Wilson said. “Our neighbors who are heavily reliant on the government are no longer feeling like the government can be their safety net.”
The organization saw food pantry use shoot up in October, ahead of November’s SNAP funding crisis. For years, Feeding Westchester has advocated to increase SNAP benefits based on reports from clients who say their monthly allotments don’t last the entire month.
The expanded work rules—which were enacted as part of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill“—will go into effect in March and require certain SNAP recipients to spend up to 80 hours every month working, in school, or volunteering. Those who fail to meet these new requirements for longer than three months could have their benefits terminated.
The reinstated timeframe is giving agencies like New York City’s Human Resources Administration—which oversees snap across the five boroughs—more time to adjust to the new changes and mitigate fallout.
The agency is rolling out programs to connect recipients with eligible work programs and health providers to help them meet or avoid the new mandate. New York City residents with any physical or mental conditions that could prevent them from fulfilling the monthly requirement are encouraged to submit a medical exemption form. Residents outside of New York City can submit a statewide version of the form to their local county social service department.
But advocates like Ramos are skeptical any amount of preparation could counter the likely devastating effects of the new work rules, especially with understaffed social service agencies. It’s estimated that hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers could lose their SNAP benefits under the new policy, including those who meet the monthly commitment but are unable to complete certifications due to technological or language barriers. Administrative errors and delays, which have long been an issue across the state, could also result in wrongful benefit terminations.
Even more changes could be on the way. Since the shutdown ended, the Trump administration has ratcheted up its threats to cut off SNAP benefits to states that don’t comply with a controversial data sharing policy announced earlier this year. Ramos is named in a lawsuit challenging the data policy, which has heightened fears around privacy as well as potential immigration enforcement.
“Why do you need this? Am I going to get a knock on my door because I have a Hispanic last name?” said Ramos, who is Puerto Rican.
The administration is also pursuing a rule change that could discourage eligible immigrants from using public benefits by allowing officials to factor benefit usage into decisions about citizenship or permanent legal status.
If you still haven’t received your regular snap benefits for November or December, get in touch with your local county social service department. SNAP recipients who are subject to the new work rules should also hear from their local social service agency, if they haven’t already.
