SNAP Restoration Creates Chaos as States Receive Uneven Benefits After Shutdown Ends

When the government reopened November 13, 2025, SNAP restoration was chaotic: some states rushed to load full benefits during a narrow court-ordered window before the Supreme Court paused the order; others issued partial 65% allocations; still others issued nothing awaiting USDA guidance. USDA threatened states that had already dispersed benefits, leaving 42 million Americans in limbo.