San Diego County supervisors demand federal action on delayed CalFresh benefits

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- With thousands of families struggling to afford food, San Diego County leaders are demanding that the federal government immediately restore funding for CalFresh benefits that were not reloaded onto EBT cards over the weekend.

Roughly 400,000 San Diego County residents rely on CalFresh — California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — for food assistance. The federal shutdown halted the distribution of benefits nationwide, leaving food banks across the county overwhelmed.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to send an emergency letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture urging the release of SNAP contingency funds.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who co-authored the measure with Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, said the situation is dire.

“One in four CalFresh households in San Diego has a zero balance left on their EBT cards,” Lawson-Remer said. “Another 45% has less than $50.”

Aguirre called the crisis unacceptable and criticized federal leaders for political gridlock.

“This is a humanitarian crisis,” Aguirre said. “People are left hungry and confused as they watch their government party like Gatsby and spend their tax dollars on lavish ballrooms, private jets, and foreign bailouts.”

The board’s lone Republican, Supervisor Jim Desmond, joined in supporting the measure, but blamed government policies for creating long-term dependency.

“Housing, groceries, and utilities have all skyrocketed, and families can’t keep up,” Desmond said. “That’s why we have more and more people on SNAP.”

The lapse in CalFresh payments follows a confusing weekend of mixed messages from Washington. President Donald Trump initially said his administration would not release funds until the government shutdown ended, blaming Democrats for the impasse.

The White House later said it would comply with federal court orders to restore funding, though it remains unclear when benefits will resume.

County leaders said they hope the emergency resolution will pressure the USDA to act swiftly. Treasury officials have indicated that EBT payments could be restored as soon as Wednesday.