Approximately 42 million Americans are at a risk of losing food assistance in November. The Trump administration has yet made it clear if there will be steps to use funds to continue paying benefits.

Around one in eight people receive aid in buying food through SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The program provides individuals with an average monthly benefit of $188 per person as of May.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters, “So you’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families, of hungry families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown.” Rollins later posted on X, casting blame onto Democrats, stating they are putting “their political agenda ahead of food security for American families.”

The Democratic party argues that Republicans are at fault for remaining unwilling to negotiate. The negotiation consists of a spending deal that includes the extension of expiring enhanced Obamacare premium subsidies.

WIC, which is a program that provides food assistance to 7 million pregnant women, young children and new moms, had been set to lose its funding earlier this month. The Trump administration then shifted $300 million in tariff revenue, that is typically used for funding child nutrition programs, to keep WIC operating.

A senior USDA official told CNN reporters that there is not enough of that tariff revenue to fund the food stamp program for November.

The lack of funding has already forced 17 states to stop accepting new applications for food stamps. Their systems would require them to send part of October’s payments with November’s benefits. Other states however can separate payments for the two months.