EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso families relying on food stamps are facing uncertainty as the federal government shutdown continues, potentially cutting off their benefits.

The government shutdown, now in its fourth week, will result in the loss of funding for several federal programs as they are expected to end on Saturday, Nov. 1, with Congress not making progress toward reopening the government.

On Nov. 1, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to approximately 42 million people, is one of the programs that will run out of funding, halting the federal food aid program until further notice.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission stated it is unclear whether recipients will receive their November benefits if the shutdown ends next month, as they await federal guidance.

In El Paso County, 62,514 households receive SNAP payments, or 21.10% of households, according to a data analysis of the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau by non-profit organization Every Texan.

According to El Paso Matters, that is an average payment of $354 per household.

These funds are used to purchase food at grocery stores, convenience stores, and farmers’ markets.

The lapse in benefits could strain state and local governments, community organizations, and educational institutions, while also impacting grocers and merchants who accept SNAP payments.

KFOX14/CBS4 spoke with a local food bank to see how they are preparing for a potential increase in demand.

Brenda Estrada, the Kelly Center for Hunger Relief’s community engagement director, said while the center is not sure how things will change due to the shutdown, they will continue to help as many people as they can.

“We have a fresh start program where they help individuals get them to give them more information about food sensor medecates. We can’t register people.” She added, “So what we do is that whatever we get, we try to manage it so everybody can get more food. But knowing that our lines are getting bigger. It is spiking a lot and so we’re getting more people to do intake.”

The food bank is also encouraging the community to help by donating what they can, and to continue to apply for SNAP even though payment distribution may be delayed.

“So we’re still encouraging because we don’t know. We really don’t know what’s going to happen. Hopefully, this passes through and we can keep on going on helping out people,” Estrada said.

The concerns over SNAP, which is the largest food aid program in the United States, come as the shutdown is now the second-longest in U.S. history, just days away from becoming the longest in U.S. history. The longest shutdown was 35 days during President Donald Trump’s first term.

On Tuesday, governors and attorneys general from 25 states sued to stop the Nov. 1 benefits cutoff.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez was one of 23 attorneys general and three governors who filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Secretary Brooke Rollins.

The lawsuit challenges the USDA’s decision to suspend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1.

Torrez emphasized the critical nature of SNAP, stating, “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.” He argued that the USDA’s refusal to use available contingency funds for SNAP, while funding other programs, is both illegal and inhumane.

The coalition plans to file a temporary restraining order to reinstate benefits immediately. New Mexico, along with other states, has also sent a letter to Secretary Rollins seeking clarity on the USDA’s plans for SNAP.

Joining New Mexico in the lawsuit are attorneys general from states including California, New York, and Washington, as well as the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.

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