Millions of Americans who rely on the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program for food security are poised to miss their monthly benefits as the federal government shutdown continues with no end in sight.

A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to use the Agriculture Department’s contingency funds, or pull from other savings, to pay out November benefits.

But even if the Trump administration swiftly complies and releases the cash, it will take state agencies several days to process payments and load them onto families’ electronic benefit transfer cards. People who rely on food stamps will still have to wait for assistance, potentially without any other income available for buying groceries.

In the absence of federal funding, states are racing to cover the

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