Federal SNAP cuts already being felt in Texas
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is already affecting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Texas, according to advocates working to fight hunger in the state.
They noticed a decline in participation after Congress passed the law last October. Since then, enrollment among eligible SNAP participants in Texas has dropped by 400,000.
Jamie Olson, vice president of policy and advocacy for the nonprofit Feeding Texas, said advocates believe immigrants in mixed-status families may not be applying because of fear of deportation. Other eligible Texans, she added, may be discouraged by new work requirements.
“Parents with children over the age of 14 and people age 55 to 64 are newly subject to these work requirements,” Olson explained. “Then, there were also some exemptions that were taken away for veterans, people experiencing homelessness.”
The greatest declines have been seen on the Gulf Coast and in North and South Texas. Advocates said SNAP does more than help feed families and is a major economic driver for most states, with money spent at grocery stores flowing back into local communities and helping farmers and ranchers.
Starting in October, Texas will be responsible for paying $117 million in administrative costs related to the SNAP program. An estimated 275,000 Texans are expected to lose their benefits because of the change.
Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, said food banks cannot make up the difference alone.
“For every meal we put on the table, SNAP puts nine, so that would be a significant increase in the number of meals we would have to provide to those individuals,” Cole emphasized. “Food banks are already putting more of their operating dollars into purchasing food and trying to be more efficient about how they deliver food.”
Advocates hope Congress grants states a two-year delay on the cost-share requirement to prepare for the changes.
The decline in Texas is part of a nationwide trend. Nearly 5 million Americans have stopped receiving food assistance since the start of President Donald Trump’s second administration.
