New SNAP rules may be cutting benefits and some families may not know why
Stricter federal work rules and immigration fears are reducing access, with Texas reporting nearly 500,000 fewer eligible participants in April.
- Texas SNAP enrollment dropped 14% year-over-year, with nearly 500,000 fewer eligible Texans participating in April 2026 compared to April 2025, leaving the state with 3.1 million individuals on the rolls.
- Federal legislation signed into law last summer introduced stricter work requirements; since December, Texas parents with children age 14 or older must work 30 hours weekly, while able-bodied adults ages 18–65 without dependents must work at least 80 hours monthly.
- The decline spans more than two-thirds of Texas counties, with participation dropping 10% to 20%, particularly in Gulf Coast and North Texas regions; nationally, SNAP participation fell about 8% between July 2025 and early 2026, affecting more than 3 million people.
- North Texas Food Bank director Clarissa Clarke said changes from the federal law "are just really starting to be felt," as food banks report increased demand; Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole cited immigration enforcement and mixed-status family confusion as key drivers.
- Texas faces a potential $718 million penalty if error rates do not drop from 9% to 7% by 2027, while advocates push through the FARM bill to reverse cuts and restore Summer EBT funding vetoed by Governor Abbott, which would have benefited about 3.75 million Texas children.
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The Impact Of SNAP Cuts In Texas
Thanks to a combination of factors including inflation and the War in Iran, food insecurity continues to impact more Texans. Even more alarmingly, this heightened food insecurity has emerged during a time of profound changes to SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which 350,000 Texans lost access to over the past year.A new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities outlines the state by state decreases to SNAP rolls…
500,000 fewer Texans are on SNAP as participation slips nationally
Advocates say the federal government’s new work requirements and immigration crackdown has limited food stamp participation. The state says the recent decline is part of normal fluctuations in enrollment.
New SNAP rules may be cutting benefits and some families may not know why
Food banks across North Texas say they are already seeing the impact of sweeping changes to the nation’s largest food assistance program, as millions of families nationwide face reduced access to benefits under a new federal law. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, is undergoing significant changes under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which was signed into law last summer. The legislation cuts an estimated $187 billi…
Feeding Texas Shares Impact of "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" on Texas SNAP Funding
TEXAS – May 2026 – Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks working to prevent hunger and ensure every Texan has reliable access to nutritious food, hosted a virtual press briefing today to outline major changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) under HR 1, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” SNAP is a bridge to economic stability for Texas families and plays a vital role in supporting local grocers, retail…
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