Earlier this month, millions of moms experienced hunger, panic, and harm to their families when SNAP benefits (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also called Food Stamps or EBT) were callously delayed and appealed by Trump and his administration despite court orders mandating that they fully fund SNAP during the shutdown, using contingency and reserve funds. [1] The SNAP benefit delays during the shutdown reveal how critical SNAP benefits are for our economy and also for the 42 million families who use them to take care of their families, contribute to their communities, and build good lives. 

Research shows that the additional work requirements don’t even, well, work.

Now that the immediate crisis is over, we are turning our attention to the broader, long-term threats to SNAP. While SNAP has long had strong bi-partisan support due to its track record of boosting the economy and families alike, he budget reconciliation law (OBBB) passed last summer by Republicans and signed into law by Trump, cut $187 billion to SNAP– the largest cut ever to the country’s first line of defense against hunger. [2] Soon, millions of people will permanently lose their benefits, businesses will be undermined, and our economy as a whole will suffer. 

What are the SNAP cuts in the OBBB? 

In Trump’s Big Bill, parents and others will be required to meet stricter, ineffective work requirements; refugees and other legal immigrants will lose access to SNAP; and states will assume a larger percentage of SNAP benefits while simultaneously receiving less federal support, which could force them to end SNAP entirely. 

Here’s a closer look at these three harmful changes to SNAP:  

SNAP Cut #1: The OBBB significantly expands SNAP’s harsh and ineffective work requirements to include parents and caregivers of children 14 years and older, older adults aged 55-64, veterans, youth aging out of foster care, people experiencing homelessness, people living in areas with few jobs, and people working irregular schedules. The Congressional Budget office estimates that these expanded work requirements will cut more than 2 million adults off of SNAP– impacting them as well as the children, seniors, and other family members who live with them. [3] Because SNAP already has work restrictions, most SNAP beneficiaries who can work already do work, but do not earn enough money to make ends meet. It’s important that those who can’t work–because of care responsibilities, disability, or age–also are able to access this important nutrition assistance.  Research shows that the additional work requirements don’t even, well, work. They do not increase employment or earnings; the only thing that they increase is hunger. [4]

SNAP Cut #2:  Tens of thousands of legal immigrants will lose access to the program under the new law. Certain lawfully present immigrants, including refugees, are being notified that they are no longer eligible for SNAP benefits, effective immediately. [5] This harmful change will cut benefits for approximately 250,000 refugees and other humanitarian visa holders, including certain survivors of domestic violence and sex trafficking. [6] 

SNAP Cut #3: During the shutdown, we observed up close that states do not have the resources to fill the gaps in SNAP. Yet, the megabill passed last summer proposes doing just that– shifting the costs of SNAP to the states, without providing the states with the resources to successfully manage this change. Starting in fiscal year 2027, states will have to cover 75% of SNAP administration costs, up from 50% currently. [7] By fiscal year 2028, states will also have to pay for SNAP benefits, tied to their “payment error rates.” [8] The bottom line is that states are unable to take on these massive new costs, so they will be forced to dramatically cut the number of eligible families, find other ways to cut spending or increase taxes, or eliminate SNAP entirely in their state. 

What can be done to reverse these cuts? 

The Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 was recently introduced in both the U.S. House and the Senate. This legislation reverses the devastating cuts to SNAP made last summer in OBBB, including the cuts described above. 

Click here to urge your Members of Congress to sign the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025, which will undo the cuts to SNAP that were signed into law last summer. 

[1] Trump Administration again blocks food assistance for millions, continuing the harm, chaos, and confusion

[2] FRAC, CBPP, and nearly 1,500 national, state, and community-based organizations urge Congress to restore SNAP funding

[3] Senate Agriculture Committee’s revised work requirement would risk taking away food assistance from more than 5 million people: State estimates

[4] Senate Agriculture Committee’s revised work requirement would risk taking away food assistance from more than 5 million people: State estimates

[5] Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025- Alien SNAP eligibility 

[6] Food stamps are back, but millions will soon lose benefits permanently

[7] SNAP cuts in OBBBA/H.R.1: Billionaires win, working families lose

[8] The deep cost of President Trump’s and Republicans’ SNAP cost-share: 10 things to know