Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) has joined a coalition of Democrats demanding the Trump administration immediately release withheld federal food assistance funds, calling the move to block them “cruel,” “shameful,” and “preventable.”
Crockett, who represents Texas’s 30th Congressional District, announced on Nov. 7, 2025, that she is co-sponsoring the “Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025”, legislation designed to force the administration to release already-approved funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
The proposal, led by Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT), comes amid growing outrage that roughly 42 million Americans — including 3.5 million Texans — have gone without their November SNAP benefits, and that nearly 7 million mothers and young children risk losing critical WIC support.
“Holding Hungry Families Hostage”
In a blistering statement, Crockett condemned what she described as the administration’s “callous” refusal to release funds that Congress had already approved.
“No president should be able to hold hungry families hostage because they want to play political games,” Crockett said. “In Texas, we’re talking about parents skipping meals so their kids can eat and seniors rationing groceries because their benefits haven’t come in. It’s shameful, and it’s preventable.”
She went further, saying:
“The Trump Administration’s cruelty knows no bounds. It’s one thing to spar with your political opponents—but starving children, seniors, and families to make a point? That’s negligence.”
Crockett’s remarks struck a chord across social media, where thousands of users shared stories of delayed benefits and local food pantries being overwhelmed by demand.
A Fight Over Food and Power
The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 would compel the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release the frozen funds immediately, ensuring the programs can operate through the end of the fiscal year. The bill would also require the federal government to reimburse states that have used their own emergency funds to cover delayed benefits during the ongoing shutdown.
Democrats argue that the administration’s refusal to distribute funds violates existing law, which mandates that agencies execute budgeted allocations once authorized by Congress. The White House has defended the delays as “administrative prudence” during ongoing spending negotiations — a claim that has drawn fierce criticism from hunger relief advocates and constitutional scholars alike.
“These are not abstract dollars on a spreadsheet,” said Rep. Hayes, who introduced the measure. “These are meals that children, seniors, and low-income families rely on. The administration’s obstruction isn’t fiscal conservatism — it’s cruelty disguised as governance.”
Texas Families on the Front Line
In Texas alone, more than 1 in 7 residents rely on SNAP, and tens of thousands of new mothers depend on WIC benefits to afford baby formula, produce, and other essentials. Food banks across the state have reported a surge in demand of nearly 40 percent since the delay began.
At the North Texas Food Bank in Dallas, volunteers say the impact is immediate and visceral.
“We’re seeing working parents who’ve never needed help before,” said operations manager Tamika Ross. “They’re not looking for handouts — they just need what they were promised.”
Politics vs. People
Crockett, a freshman congresswoman and former civil rights attorney, has emerged as one of the more outspoken voices in her party’s progressive wing. Her criticism of the Trump administration taps into a broader Democratic argument that the ongoing shutdown is being used as leverage to push policy concessions — at the expense of vulnerable Americans.
Political analysts note that food insecurity has historically been a potent political issue, especially in economically strained states like Texas.
“Nothing moves voters faster than an empty pantry,” said Dr. Lila Anderson, a political science professor at the University of Houston. “If families can’t feed their kids, that’s not just a policy failure — it’s a moral one.”
What’s Next
The House is expected to take up the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act within the next two weeks, though its fate in the Republican-controlled Senate remains uncertain.
For Crockett, however, the fight is about more than a bill — it’s about a principle.
“We cannot let political cruelty become normalized,” she said. “Food is not a bargaining chip. Feeding families should never be up for debate.”
