The following statement is from Pearline Harper, a Texas Organizing Project (TOP) leader from Dallas County, in response to the Trump administration halting SNAP benefits at the end of this month while the federal government remains shut down.
“Forty-two million people in the U.S. are about to lose access to food assistance because of Trump’s government shutdown, and what’s he doing? Dancing to ‘YMCA’ and planning his White House ballroom.
“It’s unconscionable. This billionaire president is completely detached from the people he’s supposed to serve.
“What’s even more infuriating is that the Trump administration is sitting on $5 billion in emergency SNAP funds that could prevent families from going hungry. But Trump’s refusing to use it.”
Christina Quintero, a TOP leader from Harris County, added:
“In Texas alone, 3.5 million people — including 1.7 million children — rely on SNAP each month. We’re facing a state and national emergency that goes beyond politics.
“Black and Latino working families across Texas are fighting to put food on the table. Every person who calls this country home — regardless of age, race, background, or income level — deserves basic food security.
“While Trump fails to lead, we at TOP are stepping up — engaging, informing, and connecting our communities to vital food resources.”
###