The Trump administration is tightening work requirements for the federal food stamp program in a move that would slash benefits for hundreds of thousands of people. The final rule will limit the ability of states to exempt work-eligible adults from having to obtain steady employment in order to receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The SNAP program feeds more than 36 million Americans. Benefits would be cut roughly 688,000 recipients.
Scaling back public benefits for low-income Americans has long been a Trump administration priority. USDA officials say the rule announced Wednesday would save roughly $5.5 billion over five years.
In California the SNAP money is administered by the California Health and Human Services Agency as CalFresh. CHHS Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly on Wednesday criticized the federal rule change. "Limiting access to CalFresh food assistance does not support underemployed and unemployed people in finding work. Rather, hunger is a barrier to employment," wrote Ghaly. "Further, limiting access to food makes a family's entire financial situation more precarious and increases the chances of falling into homelessness."
Ghaly believes women and people of color are more likely to be affected by unemployment and underemployment, and that rule change does not adequately consider those societal disparities.