A new Republican proposal from Republicans would bar all non-U.S. citizens from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Why It Matters
Around 42 million people nationwide collect SNAP benefits, which help low- and no-income households afford groceries. According to the USDA, 1.7 million non-citizens received SNAP benefits in fiscal 2023, the latest year for which data is available.
The proposal follows several major changes to the SNAP program currently being implemented from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” including some changes to non-citizen eligibility and expanded work requirements.
What To Know
As part of its 2026 reconciliation proposal framework, the Republican Study Committee (RSC)—a congressional caucus of members of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives—has proposed ending all non-citizen eligibility for food stamps and other benefits, including Medicaid and housing welfare.
The proposal reads: “Expand language included in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act to make all non-citizen foreign nationals ineligible for Medicaid, The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), housing assistance, and other forms of government benefits,” and estimates it would reduce spending by $231 billion over 10 years.
Currently, non-U.S. citizens can qualify for SNAP benefits if they fall into certain immigration categories and meet the program’s income and work requirements. Lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, are generally eligible after holding that status for at least five years, though some can qualify sooner if they are children, disabled, or have a military connection.
Non-citizen U.S. nationals, such as people born in American Samoa, are also eligible, as are some humanitarian groups, including Cuban and Haitian entrants and citizens of countries covered by U.S. Compacts of Free Association, such as Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau.
However, undocumented immigrants are already not eligible for SNAP. In households with mixed immigration status, eligible members—such as U.S. citizen children—can still receive benefits even if other household members do not qualify, though the income of ineligible members may be counted when determining benefit amounts.
The RSC proposal is similar to one made recently by Republican Representative Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin. The lawmaker introduced a new bill “to restrict certain Federal assistance benefits to individuals verified to be citizens of the United States.”
The framework also proposes expanding the use of the National Accuracy Clearinghouse (NAC) across additional federal and state programs. The NAC is an interstate data-sharing system designed to stop people from collecting SNAP and other benefits in more than one state at the same time.
What People Are Saying
The RSC in its budget proposal: “President Trump, in his 2025 address to Congress, declared that “Americans have always been the people who did whatever it took to defend our children, our country, and our freedom.” A second reconciliation bill focused on making homeownership, health care, and energy affordable again will breathe new life into this eternal commitment.”
What Happens Next
Any further changes to the SNAP program would first need to be approved by Congress.
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