US Food Assistance Enrollment Drops by Over Three Million Dollars

(MENAFN) According to reports, participation in the United States federal food assistance program has declined sharply, with more than 3 million people losing access to benefits as new eligibility rules take effect under the administration of US President Donald Trump.

As stated by reports, federal data shows that enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has decreased by approximately 3.5 million people since stricter requirements were introduced last July.

Under the revised rules, adults aged 18 to 64 who are considered physically able and do not have children under the age of 14 are now required to work, volunteer, or participate in approved job-training programs for at least 80 hours each month.

According to reports, this represents a significant tightening of previous conditions, which applied only to individuals up to age 54 and included broader exemptions for parents with children under 18.

The updated policy also affects certain legal non-citizens, who were previously eligible in some cases but are now excluded under the new framework. Undocumented migrants, however, were already ineligible for the program.

As stated by reports, the US Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, recorded an average of 42.1 million monthly recipients in the previous fiscal year, with total program costs reaching about $101.7 billion.

Enrollment reportedly began to decline after the implementation of Trump’s major tax and spending legislation in July. By January, participation had fallen to 38.5 million people, reflecting a reduction of more than 8% within roughly six months.

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