The Trump administration unveiled a rule on Tuesday that would slash SNAP enrollment by roughly 17%, cutting off an estimated 6.3 million people-including 1.8 million children-from food assistance beginning in 2029.
The proposal would end broad-based categorical eligibility, a policy that lets households receiving TANF benefits qualify for SNAP even if their income exceeds the program's usual thresholds. It would also increase state administrative costs, as states would have to shoulder a larger share of program expenses after October 1, 2025.
Critics say the change would deepen food insecurity at a time when hunger has already risen since the pandemic, and they warn that the loss of SNAP benefits would also strip away access to free school lunches and women-and-children's nutrition programs for nearly 5,500 low-income women.
The administration argues the current rules create loopholes that allow affluent households to receive benefits, and that tightening eligibility will protect taxpayer dollars and focus aid on those most in need.
If finalized, the rule would affect households earning just above 130 % of the poverty line-about $35,500 a year for a family of three-and would reduce overall SNAP participation by the projected 17 % by 2029.