USDA Proposal Would Drop 6.3 Million People From Food Stamps

The United States Department of Agriculture published a proposed rule on Tuesday that would remove approximately 6.3 million individuals from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The move targets the current system where households automatically qualify for SNAP benefits if they meet the requirements for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF. The agency states that ending this automatic crossover would ensure benefits go to needy households while simplifying program administration.

SNAP is the largest federal food aid program for low-income families, with more than 36 million people currently enrolled. The average individual receives about $190 per month, while the average household benefit stands at $356. To qualify directly for SNAP, a household must earn less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level. However, TANF has varying state requirements that can accommodate households earning up to 200 percent of the poverty line. The USDA estimates the proposed change would remove about 17 percent of current beneficiaries.

The cuts extend beyond food stamps. The proposal would remove 1.8 million children from the federal free school lunch program because they would no longer qualify for SNAP. This linkage means that a change in one federal benefit triggers a loss of access to another.

Democratic lawmakers have criticized the Republican administration for this latest move. Minnesota Representative Angie Craig said in a statement on Monday that the rule makes it harder for people to meet basic needs. She argued that SNAP is effective when allowed to work as designed, but that the administration and the outgoing Republican majority in Congress have undermined the program's integrity.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker called the proposal despicable in a social media post on Monday. He noted that Americans are already struggling with grocery prices. Booker stated that the administration is deepening cuts to the safety net instead of helping families afford food.

This proposal builds on previous actions by the Trump administration, which has argued that many current recipients do not need the aid. In July 2025, the Big Beautiful Bill expanded work requirements and made certain immigrants ineligible. Those changes resulted in about 5.5 million people losing access to SNAP benefits.

Tensions escalated in November 2025 when President Trump briefly withheld SNAP funding to pressure Democrats into passing a federal budget. The Democrats refused, leading to a government shutdown that lasted more than a month. During the impasse, Trump claimed the Biden administration burdened the government with billions of dollars in unnecessary spending. He posted on Truth Social that benefits were haphazardly handed to anyone for the asking.

The Supreme Court struck down lower court rulings, determining that Trump could not legally withhold the funding. Lawmakers eventually reached an agreement to pass a new budget and reopen the government. In December 2025, the administration threatened to withhold funding from 21 states that refused to share beneficiary data, citing a need to examine the data to cut fraud.

The new proposal is now open for public comment for the next 30 days.