The Reason Why Nearly 4.3 Million People No Longer Receive Food Stamps
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins attributed a decrease of several million participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to fraud containment and an improved economy. However, experts downplay these factors, stating that the main driver of the decline was likely new legislation that changed how the program operates. Here’s a more detailed analysis of the facts. ROLLINS: 'Just a couple of days ago, we managed to get 4.3 million Americans to stop relying on the food stamp program. Much of this is due to fraud. A large part is due to people benefiting from the program without being entitled to it. And another significant part is simply due to a better economy. We have experienced wage growth that has outpaced inflation for the first time since early 2021. This is truly an important day. Therefore, people no longer need food stamps.' THE FACTS: The number of SNAP beneficiaries decreased by nearly 4.3 million between January 2025 and January 2026, according to preliminary government data released by the Department of Agriculture. However, experts argue that new requirements imposed by a massive tax and spending cut bill — which Republicans passed in Congress last summer — are the main reasons for this decline. This bill is projected to cut $186 billion in federal spending — a 20% reduction — from SNAP over a 10-year period, according to the Congressional Budget Office. 'What we have observed in the data is that the downward trend in participation seems to be related to the fact that access to the program has become more difficult,' said Roger Figueroa, an assistant professor at Cornell University who studies food insecurity from a public health perspective.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
