New Guidance Announced for SNAP Benefits Under Trump Administration

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued new instructions to state agencies about how Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits—commonly known as food stamps—should be handled for undocumented immigrants.
 

Why This Is Important

President Donald Trump has taken steps to limit undocumented immigrants from receiving federal benefits.

In a February 19 executive order, Trump directed federal agencies to improve verification systems to ensure that taxpayer-funded programs exclude individuals who are not eligible due to their immigration status.

SNAP is a government program designed to help low-income households afford food. It supported about 41 million Americans in 2024. According to USDA rules, undocumented immigrants have never been eligible for SNAP benefits.
 

What Has Changed

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Acting Deputy Under Secretary John Walk provided new guidance to state agencies that oversee SNAP benefits. They emphasized greater checks for identity and immigration status during the application process. While SNAP is funded by the federal government, each state administers the program.

The USDA is urging state agencies to take specific actions to ensure individuals applying for the program are eligible. These include verifying applicants using Social Security numbers, confirming their immigration status, and conducting in-person interviews for new applicants.

States are also encouraged to regularly check the immigration status of those already receiving benefits since immigration status can change over time.

In its latest press release, the USDA revealed that in the 2023 fiscal year, about $10.5 billion in SNAP payments were issued incorrectly, representing approximately 12 percent of total SNAP payments for the year.

The errors include payments made to people who were ineligible or payments in amounts that were either too high or too low. According to the USDA, inadequate verification of citizenship and immigration status contributed to these mistakes.
 

Official Statements

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said, “President Trump has made it clear that American taxpayers will no longer subsidize illegal aliens.”

She added that SNAP is meant to help Americans in need, not benefit individuals who entered the country illegally. Rollins emphasized that verifying eligibility is a way to ensure SNAP benefits are used properly for their intended purpose.

Read more: Food Stamps: Clarifying Your Most Crucial Questions
 

Next Steps

So far, no state has publicly responded to the USDA’s new directives. It remains to be seen how state agencies will implement the updated verification procedures.

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