The U.S. government has been shut down for three weeks since October 1. If it doesn’t end soon, millions of people will lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments starting November 1. With 41.7 million recipients nationwide relying on these food stamps, states warn of halted payments without federal funding. Social media erupts with videos of desperate individuals threatening to loot Walmart stores, turning policy gridlock into potential retail mayhem.
The USDA’s SNAP program, which injected $99.8 billion into economies in FY 2024 with average monthly benefits of $187 per person, faces a funding freeze.
October payments should proceed, but November’s billions are at risk if the shutdown persists past October 27.
States like California, Texas, and Arkansas urge stockpiling, as delays could spike hunger, school absences, and food bank strains, echoing 2013’s EBT glitches.
Walmart, serving SNAP via EBT at 4,600+ locations, braces for impact. Spokespeople monitor closely, hinting at bolstered security amid rising theft fears.
The retailer donated $2 million to hunger relief this year, but warns that unchecked shoplifting could raise prices in vulnerable areas.
Online fury boils over. A TikTok video shows a Texas woman in her car, mason jar in hand, ranting, “Food stamps or we stealing OG!” She vows to “hit Walmart hard” if EBT dries up.
Another clip features a man in a tank top bellowing he’ll “rack up” a cart and walk out unpaid, blaming the shutdown.
These posts, amassing millions of views, predict retail spikes. One user warns, “People will kill to not die… Grocery store employees will be beaten up if they don’t let people steal.”
Single mothers echo, “We’ll go to Walmart and steal food.“
Advocates call it systemic desperation, not crime, yet police in SNAP-heavy zones prepare for surges, recalling 2023’s EBT fraud billions.
| State | SNAP Recipients at Risk (FY2024 Avg. Monthly) | Key Warning |
| Oklahoma | 686,800 | Frozen Nov. 1; banks overwhelmed |
| Arkansas | 240,100 | Delays; stock emergency supplies |
| New York | 2.93 million | Halt if shutdown lingers; aid cuts worsen. |
| Texas | 3.19 million | No Nov. benefits post-Oct. 27; theft talks rise |
| National | 41.7 million | $7-10B monthly aid imperiled |
Politics polarize: Republicans eye cuts and work rules effective November 1; Democrats decry “cruel” delays.
SNAP aids 70% of the working poor, seniors, and parents, or 1 in 8 Americans. With Thanksgiving approaching, communities are on the march: in Detroit, pantries, and job fairs in Phoenix. Lawmakers must compromise before aisles turn to battlegrounds. Hunger isn’t leverage; it’s a crisis demanding fixes, not fights.
