An analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) reveals that more than 1 million children in 19 states have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in July 2025. This change is part of a trend of declining SNAP enrollment nationwide.
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that SNAP participation fell from around 42 million people at the start of 2025 to just over 37 million by April 2026. This represents a loss of approximately 5 million recipients, primarily due to significant changes to the federal food assistance program during the Trump administration. According to the CBPP’s research, more than 1.06 million children in the 19 states examined have lost access to benefits.
SNAP benefits, often referred to as food stamps, are distributed monthly to low- and no-income households to help them buy groceries. It is the largest food assistance program in the United States.
Total State-Wide SNAP Reductions
The study found that total SNAP participation decreased by almost 2.44 million people across these states, which is a 12 percent reduction since the OBBBA became law. Among those affected, children represented 44 percent of the total decline in SNAP enrollment.
In Texas, the most significant drop was noted, with a reduction of 597,353 overall recipients and 317,316 children, making up 53 percent of the state’s total decline. Arizona recorded the highest percentage decrease, with an overall reduction of 48 percent, and a child enrollment drop of 49 percent, meaning 182,058 fewer children received benefits. Children accounted for 42 percent of Arizona’s decline.
California experienced a loss of 333,062 participants, including 156,440 children, with children comprising 47 percent of the overall reduction. In Louisiana, SNAP participation fell by 21 percent, with child enrollment decreasing by 23 percent, making children account for 48 percent of the total decline.
Several other states, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, also reported overall enrollment losses ranging from 7 to 13 percent. In New Jersey, children made up 61 percent of the state’s total decline, while in Pennsylvania, they accounted for only 28 percent.
Reasons for Decline in Enrollment
The decline in SNAP participation is linked to changes introduced by the OBBBA, or H.R. 1, which has been applied at different times across states since July 4, 2025. One of the major changes was the extension of work requirements to adults up to age 64. Now, Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) need to comply with broader employment or training requirements to qualify for benefits.
The law also ended some exemptions, bringing groups like veterans, homeless individuals, and former foster youth into the work requirement framework. It also narrowed exemptions for caregivers, requiring some parents with children aged 14 and older to meet work or training standards to maintain SNAP eligibility.
A USDA spokesperson stated that SNAP is a means-tested entitlement, and eligible households do receive benefits. However, these households must go through a recertification process. This means numbers can change due to employment moves, loss of interest, or Household changes, and are not a clear reflection of any single policy. Many states had already seen participation declines before the enactment of H.R. 1.
Potential for Continued Decline
The CBPP suggests that these losses are not solely due to policy changes but also tied to shifts in SNAP funding responsibilities to states, as per the 2025 Republican reconciliation law. This law connects state financial responsibilities to their payment error rates.
According to the CBPP, without immediate congressional efforts to pause this cost shift, the situation will worsen, and more children will lose necessary food assistance.
The USDA emphasized that the OBBBA holds states accountable for exact benefit issuance, noting that states unjustly distribute over $27 million per day in erroneous benefits, which it labels as program waste. The CBPP argued that economic conditions do not account for the sharp participation decline, citing steady unemployment rates, declining real wages, persistent food insecurity, and rising grocery costs as evidence.
For further details on this topic, contact Newsweek editors Ben Kelly, Grayson Thomas, and Shakeema Edwards.