Refugees and Asylum Seekers Lost SNAP Food Aid as New Federal Restrictions Hit April 1

Refugees and asylum seekers lost SNAP food aid eligibility on April 1 as new federal restrictions took effect. CBO estimates 90,000 cut monthly.

Refugees and Asylum Seekers Lost SNAP Food Aid as New Federal Restrictions Hit April 1 Refugees and asylum seekers lost SNAP food aid eligibility on April 1 as new federal restrictions took effect. CBO estimates 90,000 cut monthly. Aaron Rafferty April 02, 2026 Key Takeaways: Refugees, asylum seekers, and human trafficking survivors without a green card lost SNAP eligibility as of April 1 in Illinois and several remaining states under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimates 90,000 people will lose SNAP benefits in an average month due to the noncitizen provision alone, receiving roughly $210 monthly from 2026 to 2034. USDA data shows 96% of SNAP recipients are U.S. citizens, and Iowa's SNAP enrollment has hit an 18-year low while food banks report record-breaking demand. Refugees, asylum seekers, and human trafficking survivors without a green card lost access to SNAP food assistance as of April 1 in Illinois and several remaining states. The eligibility restrictions are part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act , which Congress and President Trump approved in July 2025 and which represents the largest cut to SNAP in the program's 60-year history at $186 billion over 10 years. The Congressional Budget Office estimates 90,000 people could lose SNAP eligibility in an average month because of this provision. Those individuals would have received about $210 monthly from 2026 to 2034. States including Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska implemented the changes last fall. Minnesota and Illinois were among the last to comply. The USDA's own data undermines the fraud rationale used to justify the cuts. Ninety-six percent of SNAP recipients are U.S. citizens. Nearly 90% are U.S.-born citizens. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rol