SNAP Shutdown Threatens Black and Tribal Communities — Judges Order Short-Term Relief but Gaps Remain

In one of the nation’s wealthiest neighborhoods, a line stretched beside the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen and Pantry in Manhattan as people waited for a hot meal. Willy Hilaire, 63, is homeless, unemployed and living in a New York shelter with his two grandchildren. He often sacrifices his own food so the children can eat the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits he receives.

Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously that the federal government must use contingency funds to keep SNAP operating during a government shutdown. Officials warned, however, that the decision came too late to prevent some recipients from losing benefits immediately and that restoring payments could take at least a week.

Reliance on food aid falls disproportionately on Black Americans

One in eight Americans receives SNAP, but the impact of a pause in benefits is not evenly distributed. Black Americans make up 13.7% of the U.S. population yet represent 25.7% of SNAP recipients. By contrast, white people are nearly 75% of the population but account for about 35.4% of SNAP recipients.

Scholars and advocates describe these disparities as the product of systemic racial inequality: a long history of discriminatory policies and practices — from slavery to exclusionary housing rules — that have left many Black families with fewer assets, lower intergenerational wealth and greater vulnerability to economic shocks.

Many SNAP recipients work

Most working-age SNAP recipients who can work already do. Many hold one or more low-wage jobs that lack benefits such as paid sick leave, and still qualify for modest SNAP allotments (commonly around $187 a month for some households). A National Urban League report found the racial income gap has barely narrowed in more than two decades: Black households make roughly 64% of the income of white households on average.

Experts warn that, at current rates of change, closing the racial wealth and income gaps could take decades — one McKinsey analysis estimated between one and three centuries for broad parity, depending on location.

Worsening indicators for Black households

Some economic measures for Black Americans have declined. This year, Black unemployment rose from 6.2% to 7.5%, the highest level since October 2021. Black homeownership has fallen to its lowest point in four years, and median Black household income fell 3.3% last year to $56,020 — about $36,000 less than the median white household.

A sudden loss of grocery dollars would force difficult trade-offs for many families, making it harder to pay rent, utilities or medical bills. Even if benefits are restored quickly, nonprofit leaders warn that households could face financial setbacks lasting into next year.

Tribal nations face unique legal and logistical challenges

Food and nutrition assistance for tribal nations is tied to federal trust and treaty obligations, but those commitments often rely on discretionary funding that can be disrupted in a shutdown. A Brookings Institution analysis found that in 2024 more than two-thirds of trust and treaty responsibilities were funded through discretionary spending, leaving them vulnerable during funding gaps.

The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) continues to operate, but Native Americans already enrolled in SNAP are generally not eligible for FDPIR. FDPIR President Mary Greene-Trottier said her agency requested a USDA waiver, which was granted for November, and she expects demand to rise if SNAP is interrupted. 'I can’t say this loud enough, but this is the weaponization of food again,' she said, invoking historical policies that used food as leverage against Indigenous communities.

Several tribes, including Spirit Lake Nation, Cherokee Nation, Blackfeet Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Shawnee Tribe, declared states of emergency ahead of potential SNAP cuts.

Misinformation and harmful stereotypes

The racial skew in program participation has fueled damaging myths about SNAP recipients. The pejorative 'welfare queen' stereotype, popularized in the 1960s, falsely cast people of color as exploiting public benefits rather than highlighting the economic forces that drive need.

In fact, many SNAP beneficiaries are children (about 39%), elderly adults (about 20%) or people with disabilities (about 10%), according to research cited by the Urban Institute. That means a large share of recipients are unlikely to be expected to work.

Community leaders have mobilized to respond. In Phoenix, Pastor Cleo Lewis organized his first food drive to support roughly 30 families he counsels, saying his ministry must now address urgent material as well as spiritual needs.

As courts and agencies work to stabilize benefits, food banks, tribes and local charities brace for increased demand — and families like Hilaire’s worry about whether the next week will bring groceries or another empty pantry.