Full Breakdown
More Than 1.2 Million Children Lost SNAP Benefits Since Mid-2025
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Rapid Decline in Child SNAP Enrollment
Between July 2025 and 2026, an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found that roughly 1.2 million fewer children received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The loss represents about 43 % of the overall decline in SNAP participation during the same period and accounts for between 28 % and 77 % of all disenrollments, according to CBPP senior research director Joseph Llobrera. Nationwide, the total number of people who lost SNAP access is estimated at 5 million.
Policy Drivers and Context
The drop follows the enactment of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a tax and spending package that cut at least $1 trillion from the federal social safety net. The law introduced stricter work-requirement rules for adult SNAP recipients and shifted a larger share of program costs to states, tying payments to error-rate metrics. In addition, the bill eliminated certain pandemic-era waivers, such as expanded benefits and relaxed work requirements, and it removed eligibility for some legal immigrants, including refugees and asylees. Researchers from the Center for Science in the Public Interest and George Washington University’s Global Food Institute suggest that a broader immigration crackdown may have created a “chilling effect” that discourages eligible families from applying.
Expert Analysis and Official Responses
She emphasized that SNAP “is essential” and “critical” for feeding children. Joseph Llobrera described the decline as “significant and rapid,” noting that economic indicators such as unemployment and wages have not improved enough to explain the drop.
Data Summary
- Children constitute 43 % of the total SNAP enrollment decline.
- CBPP’s conservative estimate, based on 25 states covering roughly 60 % of participants, puts child losses at 1.2 million; the true figure could exceed 1.5 million.
- Overall SNAP participation fell by about 5 million people across the United States.
Verbatim Quotes
- “For kids to lose that benefit is really devastating,” — Priya Fielding-Singh, director of policy and programs at George Washington University's Global Food Institute
- “SNAP is not, despite the name, supplemental,” — Priya Fielding-Singh, director of policy and programs at George Washington University's Global Food Institute
- “The data that we're seeing now is that the declines are so significant and rapid that it's really unlikely that this is because there's a reduced need,” — Priya Fielding-Singh, director of policy and programs at George Washington University's Global Food Institute