Michael Che Calls SNAP Freeze ‘Really F–ed Up’: I Keep Seeing ‘Racist Videos Celebrating (Mostly Black) Families Not Being Able to Buy Groceries’

“Saturday Night Live” star Michael Che is speaking out against the suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which began on Saturday as a result of the now month-long government shutdown.

“This SNAP freeze is really fucked up,” Che wrote in an Instagram post Saturday. “And I keep seeing a lotta racist videos celebrating (mostly black) families not being able to buy groceries. There’s this weird idea that since some people have taken advantage of welfare benefits in the hood, NOBODY should receive help, at all? This country is built on greedy motherfuckers taking shortcuts and gaming the system to their benefit, but for some reason, when poor people find a way to turn a nickel into a dime, they’re judged more severely, especially Blacks.”

He continued, “I the hustle is to hate each other here so we can fight in the comments and up our engagements, but let’s draw the line at feeding the poor. I grew up on free cheese and powdered milk and waiting for your friends to leave the store so they won’t see me pay with stamps. That shit ain’t as glamorous as it sounds. I promise.”

The government shut down on Oct. 1 after Republicans and Democrats failed to pass a funding bill for government services as the previous federal budget expired. In the Senate, Republicans are short 60 votes to pass the proposed bill, which gives Democrats a chance to fight back on key issues.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, sent out a memo on Oct. 26 stating that benefits would be halted on Nov. 1. However, two federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island both ruled on Friday that the Trump administration, by law, is required to use contingency funds to pay out for at least a portion of SNAP benefits. The Trump administration has until Monday to respond to the ruling.