Nebraska DHHS requested additional security ahead of SNAP pause

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services sought additional security measures shortly before the pause of a major federal food program, with officials expressing concern about potential incidents at offices in the state’s larger cities.

The department oversees disbursement of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federally funded initiative used by 155,000 Nebraskans. The program ran out of money in late October, weeks into a government shutdown.

Safety concerns were raised as Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) prepared to notify the public of an upcoming pause in SNAP assistance.

Before that public announcement, DHHS leaders requested additional security measures from the Nebraska State Patrol, according to emails obtained by Nebraska Public Media through a records request.

Bo Botelho, DHHS chief legal officer, broached the topic in an email sent Oct. 27 to Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Bryan Waugh. Botelho shared a spreadsheet of offices and wrote that he “is most concerned with the more populated locations.”

“These will likely be the locations which may be impacted once communications go out with regard to SNAP benefits,” Botelho wrote. “Communications, press release, may go out tomorrow. Mailed notices by mid-week, individuals will start to receive mailed notices likely by end of this week.”

Waugh responded that the State Patrol would likely prepare a situational awareness bulletin for law enforcement across the state.

On Nov. 12, the government passed a funding bill that ended the shutdown that began on Oct. 1 and restarted distributions of SNAP assistance. There were no known security issues at DHHS offices within the roughly two-week pause of SNAP, said State Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas.

Jeff Powell, a spokesman for Nebraska DHHS, confirmed to Nebraska Public Media that no safety incidents or threats occurred.

“The safety and well-being of the public and our employees is the top priority for DHHS,” Powell wrote in an emailed statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, the department reached out to law enforcement for guidance ahead of the announcement to ensure appropriate support was available if needed.”

The federal shutdown lasted 43 days, as a deadlocked Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation for the 2026 fiscal year. It was the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.