California deploys Guard, warns SNAP may stop Oct. 23

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he is deploying the California National Guard and California Volunteers to support food banks statewide as a humanitarian response to a federal government shutdown delaying SNAP/CalFresh benefits for roughly 5.5 million Californians. The state is fast-tracking up to $80 million in emergency funding to help food banks absorb the surge in need. Newsom blamed President Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown and said the deployment is a stopgap to keep families fed ahead of the holidays. Officials emphasized the Guard will not act as law enforcement, said the mobilization mirrors similar COVID-19 food-distribution missions and warned that federal instructions to hold November 2025 benefit data could halt new enrollments in mid-October and cut off benefits for all enrollees after Oct. 23 unless the government reopens. California said it is prepared to use legal measures if necessary to protect state control over benefits distribution.