GRANTS, N.M. — The federal government shutdown reached its 28th day on Tuesday October 28 with no resolution in sight, placing thousands of Cibola County residents at risk of losing food assistance by the end of the week.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will not be issued on Nov. 1 without congressional action, saying “the well has run dry” for SNAP funding during the lapse in appropriations. New Mexico has one of the highest participation rates in the nation.
Specifically in Cibola County, according to USDA data, 7,933 Cibola County residents rely on the program to buy groceries. This is a county where the most recent census data shows 41.1 percent of children under age 18 live below the poverty line.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called the suspension “unconscionable,” saying the state is “evaluating every available legal and administrative option” to protect families, including expediting $8 million previously allocated for food banks. This money has already been approved by the state legislature and was intended for a much slower release but will now be “expedited” according to the governor.
She noted that SNAP delivers $80 to $90 million in food purchasing power to New Mexicans every month, and stopgap funding covers only a fraction of the need.
The governor’s office said the situation remains fluid, and no update on November benefit issuance was available as of Tuesday’s publication deadline.
The shutdown’s reach extends beyond food assistance. Federal employees missed their first full paycheck at the end of last week.
An estimated 1,074 workers in Cibola County are employed by the federal government, making up 11.3 percent of all employed residents, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Many have now been furloughed or are working without pay.
Economic modeling by the White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates that New Mexico’s Gross State Product is declining by about $76 million each week the shutdown continues. Consumer spending statewide could fall about $439 million per month as lost wages ripple through local economies. Federal contract spending could drop roughly $350 million during a one-month shutdown, and Small Business Administration loans are paused, delaying about $12 million in assistance to entrepreneurs.
Despite the shutdown, some essential federal operations remain active.
The National Park Service confirmed last week that its prescribed fire project at El Malpais National Monument would proceed using non-appropriated funding sources (meaning congress didn’t have a say in making or spending that money because it is collected through visitor’s fees).
Local governments and food-distribution organizations are preparing for possible hardship if negotiations continue to stall in Washington. The Cibola Citizen has reached out to the Grants Community Pantry and local officials for updates on contingency plans, but no comment was available as of October 28’s newspaper deadline due to timing restraints.
Meanwhile, pressure is building on Congress to resolve the impasse.
The Senate on Tuesday attempted its 13th vote on a Republicanbacked funding bill but once again it failed.
Federal unions and advocacy groups have urged lawmakers to end the stalemate as soon as possible.
For now, more than 42 million Americans, including thousands of families here at home, remain uncertain whether the federal safety nets they rely on will hold when the calendar turns to November.
Residents seeking assistance or service updates can refer to state and federal agency websites. The Cibola Citizen will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as information becomes available.
Editor’s Note: Just before deadline, the Citizen was able to hear back from the Grants Community Pantry, we thank them for their support to the community.
The Grants Community Pantry says its biggest concern is that many families may not know their benefits have stopped until they reach the grocery checkout and discover their SNAP cards no longer work.
Executive Director Alice Perez told the Citizen that food insecurity takes many forms and that the loss of federal food assistance would impact not only vulnerable households but also “local grocers, convenience stores, and any business that processes SNAP transactions.” SNAP spending supports the broader economy by generating as much as two dollars in economic activity for every dollar of benefits issued, she said.
Perez confirmed the pantry is already serving furloughed federal workers and is preparing for a surge in clients, though she emphasized that the pantry provides supplemental support and “cannot meet every need alone.” She encouraged residents to donate food or funds, support local food drives, and check on neighbors, particularly children and seniors, as winter approaches.
Editor’s Note: At deadline, the Citizen learned Attorney General Raul Torres is suing the Trump Admin to prevent SNAP from expiring. He wrote, “More than 450,000 New Mexicans rely on SNAP to feed their families, and I will not stand by and watch our people go hungry when Congress has already appropriated billions of dollars in emergency funding to keep food on their tables,' said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. 'At a time when too many are struggling with rising costs, we should be expanding access to food assistance — not undermining it.”