Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation's largest federally funded food aid program, dropped by more than 13% over a 12-month period — a decline far steeper than government estimates as work requirements and other provisions from President Donald Trump's "big beautiful bill" take hold.
The enrollment decline comes as newly expanded SNAP work requirements have now kicked in for most of the country. The new law requires most people who previously had been exempt from work rules to either work, volunteer or attend school to receive benefits — including those ages 55 to 64 and those with children ages 14 to 17.
What the Right Is Saying
Proponents of welfare reform say the declining rolls indicate that policy changes are working as intended for a program they argue is riddled with fraud.
"If there are people that are leaving the welfare rolls because they're working and they're moving forward, that would be a step forward," said Rachel Sheffield, a research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, which pushed for stricter SNAP requirements.
The Florida Department of Children and Families said in a statement that its enrollment decline "is reflective of the state's strong focus on advancing opportunities for Floridians and their families to achieve economic self-sufficiency."
Sheffield also noted that some decline is natural after peaks during the coronavirus pandemic era. Some immigration advocates argue that legally present immigrants have reduced participation over fears of being targeted by Trump's immigration enforcement.
What the Left Is Saying
Advocates for SNAP recipients say many people losing coverage are eligible but are being dropped due to administrative barriers rather than failing to meet new work requirements.
"A lot of it is administrative paperwork," said Tia Fields, who analyzes social safety net policies at Invest in Louisiana. "People miss deadlines or don't have the needed documentation handy."
Fields noted that children in households receiving SNAP can be automatically enrolled in free school lunch programs or in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). "What happens when that child can't pay for lunch?" she asked.
Carolyn Vega, a policy analyst at the advocacy group Share Our Strength, said food banks cannot replicate SNAP's scale. "We know that schools can't fill this gap," she said. "We know that food banks can't fill this gap."
In Arizona — which saw the nation's steepest enrollment decline — LaDiamond Lopez of Phoenix lost her benefits in January after officials said she needed additional documentation about income and household composition. She has been skipping meals and some bill payments to ensure her children have enough food.
What the Numbers Show
Federal data shows SNAP enrollment fell from 42.2 million in May 2025 to 36.6 million in May — a drop of more than 13% in one year, according to USDA figures compiled by the Associated Press.
Arizona experienced the steepest decline at over 50%, with more than 400,000 fewer people receiving benefits from April 2025 to April 2026. Georgia, Louisiana and Nevada each saw drops exceeding 20%. Florida's enrollment fell by approximately 22% year-over-year.
The average monthly SNAP benefit is $344 per household. The program helps more than 1 in 10 people in the U.S., with most beneficiaries having incomes below the poverty line.
The Congressional Budget Office projected that new requirements would push enrollment below 34 million by 2036. However, the May figure of 36.6 million is already near the level the CBO forecast for 2030 — suggesting the decline is happening faster than expected.
Since 2010, average monthly beneficiaries have been below 40 million for only two years: 2019 and 2020. The rolls peaked at 43.3 million in October 2024 before beginning to fall after Trump's "one big beautiful bill" took effect.
The Bottom Line
The rapid decline in SNAP enrollment raises questions about whether the drop is primarily driven by people earning too much to qualify — as supporters intended — or by eligible recipients being dropped due to administrative barriers.
State agencies running SNAP programs have faced challenges implementing new federal requirements. Arizona's Department of Economic Security cited "unprecedented call volumes and administrative hurdles" including additional verification requirements, though officials say recent staffing increases and online document submission options have stemmed the decline.
A cost-sharing provision requiring states to pay part of benefit costs if their payment error rates exceed 6% is scheduled to take effect in October 2027. Advocates worry some states may deny benefits entirely rather than risk errors.
Food banks have ramped up donations to meet rising demand, but experts say they cannot fully substitute for SNAP's scale and reach.