If the federal shutdown continues past Oct. 27, funding for SNAP food assistance will run out in Texas, potentially leaving 3.5 million residents without benefits.

The calls to the Republican governor came as the food stamp program was set to run out of funding amid the government shutdown.

Newer figures from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) show only slight shifts. As of September 2025, Harris County still has by far the largest number of SNAP-eligible individuals, while Fort Bend, Galveston, and Brazoria have seen the steepest growth. Montgomery County is the only major Houston-area county showing a decline.

About 3.5 million Texans—including 1.7 million children—could lose access to SNAP benefits next month if the shutdown continues.

As lawmakers continue to battle over the government shutdown and SNAP benefits have been halted, Brazos Valley residents are taking steps to raise money for local food pantries as the holiday season approaches.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, is the country’s largest anti-hunger program. Teixeira argued that the ongoing government shutdown is “exposing serious problems” in the program, which is set to expire on Friday.

More than 40 million Americans are waiting for a ruling in an eleventh-hour lawsuit before SNAP funding freezes on Saturday. Follow Newsweek's live blog for the latest updates.