The ability of about 1 in 8 Americans to buy groceries could depend on the outcome of a showdown over whether President Trump's administration must replenish SNAP food aid benefits for November, despite the government shutdown.

A key ruling from a judge considering the matter could come as early as Friday, but even if benefits cannot be suspended for the first time in SNAP's 61-year history, many beneficiaries are likely to face delays in getting the debit cards they use to buy groceries reloaded. That can take one to two weeks, so it's likely too late to get funds on cards in the first days of November.

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In California, the nation's most populous state, about 1.75 million households received SNAP benefits in 2023. Ne

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