Alejandro Santillan-Garcia is afraid of losing the assistance that allows him to buy food.
The 20-year-old Austin resident qualified for federal food assistance last year after leaving the Texas foster care system he entered as a child.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, helps feed 42 million low-income people in the country. Now, because of changes to what Republicans call the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Santillan-Garcia may soon have to show officials he's working to maintain that advantage.
He said he lost his last job because he missed work to go to the doctor to treat recurring stomach infections. He doesn't have a car and has applied for jobs at supermarkets, Walmart, Dollar General, “anywhere” he can walk or bike to.
“No job hired me.”
Under the new federal budget law, more people must prove they work, volunteer or go to school to qualify for SNAP.
Those who fail to submit documentation on time risk losing food assistance for up to three years.
States were originally directed to begin counting “absences” for participants starting Nov. 1, the same day millions of people saw their SNAP benefits cut off due to the Donald Trump administration's refusal to fund the program during the government shutdown.
But mid-month, federal officials reversed course and gave states until December to implement the new rules.
The law also further limits when states and counties with high unemployment rates can exempt recipients from these requirements. But the legal battle over that provision has meant that compliance deadlines for the new rules vary depending on where a person lives, and in some cases even within the same state.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) did not respond to a detailed list of questions about how the new SNAP rules would be implemented, and the White House also did not respond to a request for comment on whether the rules could exclude people who depend on it from the program.
The law did expand exceptions for many Native Americans.
However, states must comply with the new rules or face fines that could force them to cover most of the cost of the program, which totaled about $100 billion last year.
President Trump signed this massive budget bill, along with new SNAP requirements, on July 4th. According to Chloe Green, deputy director of the American Association of State Social Services, which advises states on federal programs, states initially expected they would need at least 12 months to implement changes of this magnitude.
Under the law, “able-bodied” individuals subject to work requirements could lose access to benefits for three years if they do not provide documentation of the time they worked within three months.
Depending on when states implement the rules, many people could be kicked out of the program early next year, said Lauren Bauer, a senior fellow for economic research at the Brookings Institution think tank. These changes are expected to disenroll at least 2.4 million people from SNAP over the next decade. Congressional Budget Office.
“It’s very difficult to work if you’re hungry,” Bauer said.
Many adult SNAP recipients under age 55 already had to meet work requirements before the budget bill was signed into law.
Now, for the first time, individuals ages 55 to 64 and parents with children 14 or older must document at least 80 hours per month of work or other eligible activity.
The new law also eliminates exemptions that have applied since 2023 to veterans, the homeless and youth leaving the foster care system like Santillan-Garcia.
Republican politicians said the new rules are part of a broader effort to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in government assistance programs.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in November that in addition to enforcing the law, she would require millions of people to reapply for benefits to reduce fraud, although she did not elaborate. IN Newsmax interviewRollins said he wants to ensure that SNAP benefits only reach those who are “vulnerable” and “cannot survive without them.”
Greene explained that states are required to notify people about changes to their benefits before cutting them off. Some states have announced the changes on their websites or by mail, but many are not giving recipients enough time to catch up.
Anti-hunger advocates fear the changes and the resulting confusion will lead to more people experiencing food insecurity. Food banks have reported a record number of people seeking help this year.
Even if they meet job requirements, many people face difficulties uploading documents and having to process their benefits through overwhelmed systems by the government.
IN Urban Institute surveyAbout 1 in 8 adults said they lost food benefits due to filing problems. Some were fired due to government failures or staffing shortages.
Pat Scott, an outreach worker at the Beaverhead Resource Center in rural Dillon, Montana, is the only person within an hour's drive helping people access government assistance, including seniors without reliable transportation. But the center is only open one day a week, and Scott says he's seen people lose insurance due to problems with the state's online portal.
John Ebelt, a spokesman for the Montana Department of Health, said the state is constantly working to improve its programs. He added that while some rules have changed, there is already a system in place to report compliance with work requirements.
In Missoula, Montana, Jill Bonney, director of the Poverello Center shelter, explained that her homeless clients already face significant barriers to seeking help: They often lose their documents, despite the daily need to carry all their belongings.
Bonnie said she's also concerned that federal changes could lead to more seniors becoming homeless if they lose SNAP benefits and have to choose between paying rent or buying food.
In the US, people aged 50 and older fastest growing group among the homeless, according to federal data.
Sharon Cornu, executive director of the St. Mary's Center, an organization that supports homeless seniors in Oakland, California, said the new rules breed mistrust. “This is not normal. We don’t play by the old rules,” Cornu said of the federal changes. “This is a punitive and malicious measure.”
In early November, a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to make full SNAP payments during the government shutdown that ended Nov. 12.
The same judge tried to stop some new work requirements. Ordered the government to comply with existing agreements that exempt certain people from employment requirements in certain states and counties until those agreements expire. In total, these waivers with varying end dates occurred in 28 states and the District of Columbia.
To further complicate matters, some states, such as New Mexico, have exemptions that mean people in different counties must follow the rules at different times.
Green explained that if states do not properly document the work status of SNAP recipients, they will be forced to pay later. Under the new law, states will be required to cover a portion of food costs for the first time, and the amount will depend on how well they calculate benefits.
During the government shutdown, when no one was receiving SNAP benefits, Santillan-Garcia and his girlfriend relied on supermarket gift cards given to them by a nonprofit to feed their friend's child. To feed themselves, they turned to a food bank, although many foods, such as dairy, are harmful to Santillan-Garcia.
She's worried she'll be in the same situation again in February, having to renew her benefits – now without the benefits for young people leaving the care system. Texas authorities have not yet told you what you will need to do to continue receiving SNAP benefits.
Santillan-Garcia said she is praying that if she can't find a job, she can find another way to remain eligible and keep her benefits.
“They're probably going to take them away from me,” he said.
What you should know
Changes to SNAP eliminated exceptions to work requirements for:
- People from 55 to 64 years old
- Teachers of children under 14 years of age and older
- Veterans
- Homeless
- Youth under 24 years old who have left the foster care system
What SNAP Recipients Should Do
- Contact social assistance organizations to find out when the new rules will take effect in your area. They may review them during recertification, but you may be asked to meet monthly work requirements much sooner.
- Tell your state if you are responsible for a child under 14 years of age living in your home; pregnant; study at least part-time; attends an alcohol or drug treatment program; have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from working; is an indigenous person; or caring for a family member with a disability. If you meet any of these criteria, you may still be exempt from paying the tax.
