SNAP enrollment falls sharply following new federal work requirements

Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has dropped by more than 13% in a single year, falling from 42.2 million participants in May 2025 to 36.6 million in May 2026. This decline follows the implementation of the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which introduced expanded work requirements, narrowed eligibility for certain noncitizens, and shifted more administrative and financial responsibilities to the states.

The reduction in participation is occurring faster than previously projected by the Congressional Budget Office. While analysts expected these changes to reduce enrollment by 2.4 million people monthly over the next decade, current figures suggest the impact is much more immediate. State-level declines vary, with Arizona seeing a 55% drop in enrollment, while Georgia, Louisiana, Nevada, and Florida also reported declines exceeding 20%.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed the impact of the cuts, stating he does not believe they will have “that much effect” and suggesting that only ineligible individuals were removed from the program. However, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) countered these claims, reporting that the enrollment drop represents a 17-year low and estimating that over 1.5 million children have lost assistance, including many who remain eligible.