TULSA – A Google search of when missing SNAP payments will be deposited might be confusing, but we do know this – area moms began reporting that money was in their accounts as of Monday afternoon.

A number of posts in the Tulsa Moms group indicated that at least partial payments were being made to some recipients.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports about 42 million low-income Americans, is currently experiencing major disruption due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) said Monday that he believed the impasse would end later in the evening when the Senate took it’s next vote.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services announced that it has finished system updates needed to deliver SNAP benefits to eligible households as quickly as possible, with payments expected by Tuesday. The move follows guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which determines eligibility and payment amounts. Because of federal restrictions, some recipients may only receive partial payments or none at all. DHS emphasized that it is distributing benefits on behalf of the federal government.

Gov. Kevin Stitt praised the agency’s efforts, saying their work during the shutdown shows “the Oklahoma Standard is alive and well.” Benefits will be issued automatically, and recipients do not need to take any action.

While October benefits were distributed using remaining funds, payments for November have become uncertain after the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned there may not be enough funding to issue full benefits. Some states have opted to send only partial payments or delay distribution altogether while waiting for updated federal guidance.

A federal judge has since ordered the USDA to release full November SNAP benefits using contingency funds, and state agencies have begun processing those payments. However, confusion continues as the shutdown persists and the administration has directed some states to reverse earlier full payments and revert to partial distributions. The situation has created significant concern among recipients and food banks, which are warning of increased strain as families face potential gaps in access to critical food assistance.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday it will comply with a federal court order requiring the Trump administration to fully fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November, providing relief for millions of Americans affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown.

In a memo sent to state agencies, Patrick Penn, deputy under secretary of Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at USDA, said the agency would “complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processor.”

The announcement came the same day the Trump administration filed an appeal seeking to block the ruling, which was issued earlier this week by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of Rhode Island. McConnell ordered the administration to release the funds by Friday, Nov. 7, ensuring that SNAP recipients would receive their full monthly benefits despite the ongoing shutdown.

SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program, provides monthly assistance to more than 42 million Americans to purchase groceries. The program costs roughly $8 billion per month nationwide.

Officials in several states confirmed Friday that benefits were already being distributed. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said food benefits were “now beginning to flow back to California families.” In Wisconsin, more than $104 million in monthly benefits were made available at midnight to roughly 337,000 households, according to Gov. Tony Evers’ office. The state expedited the process by submitting an emergency request to its electronic benefit card vendor within hours of the court ruling.

Other states, including Kansas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, reported similar progress, while several others said they were awaiting additional guidance from the USDA on timing and distribution.

The administration’s appeal is now pending before a federal appeals court, but for the time being, states have begun restoring critical food aid that had been in jeopardy as the shutdown stretched into its second week.