Tag: welfare

Who gets food stamps? Viral chart misleads about SNAP recipients’ race, ethnicity

With millions of people at risk of losing access to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1, a viral chart claimed to show the majority of the nation’s food stamp recipients are non-white and noncitizens.

The chart, titled “Food Stamps by Ethnicity,” listed 36 groups of people and said it showed the “percentage of U.S. households receiving SNAP benefits.” 

The groups were labeled by nationality such as “Afghan,” “Somali,” “Iraqi,”  along with the racial groups “white,” “Black” and “native.” The chart appeared to show that Afghan people were the largest group receiving SNAP benefits, at 45.6%, followed by Somali (42.4%) and Iraqi (34.8%). White people, represented on the chart with the American flag, were third to last at 8.6%.

The federal government shutdown, which started Oct. 1, is the cause of the looming SNAP funding lapse. SNAP provides food purchasing benefits to low-income households. Conservatives have peddled the misleading narrative that Democrats are pushing for healthcare for illegal immigrants, and people commenting on the chart rehashed a similar talking point.

“Who is getting their EBT cut,” read the caption of an Oct. 25 X post sharing the chart, which had 3.1 million views as of Oct. 27. EBT stands for Electronic Benefits Transfer, which is a SNAP payment system.

“Only 18.7% of EBT or food stamp recipients are American. Let that sink in…” read another post sharing the chart, seemingly mistakenly referring to the figure next to the word “Armenian”; there was no “American” category in the chart. “We are subsidizing foreigners on the taxpayers dime.”

The chart doesn’t show the full picture of SNAP recipients by race or ethnicity. The most reliable source for the breakdown of SNAP recipients by demographics comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the program. 

According to the most recent USDA data available, from 2023, white people are the largest racial group receiving SNAP benefits, at 35.4%. African Americans are next, making up 25.7% of recipients, then Hispanic people at 15.6%, Asian people at 3.9%, Native Americans at 1.3% and multiracial people at 1%. The race of 17% of participants is unknown.

The same report found that 89.4% of SNAP recipients were U.S born citizens, meaning less than 11% of SNAP participants were foreign-born. Of the latter figure, 6.2% were naturalized citizens, 1.1% were refugees and 3.3% were other noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents and other eligible noncitizens.

While large shares of the groups listed in the chart may receive food stamps, “they are certainly a tiny share of the households and spending on SNAP,” said Tracy Roof, University of Richmond associate professor of political science.

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Senate Republicans Reject Bill to Fund SNAP Benefits During Shutdown

Senate Republicans on Tuesday voted down a Democratic bill to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the government shutdown.

As tens of millions of Americans stare down the prospect of going hungry beginning Nov. 1, Senate Republicans rejected a unanimous consent bid by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) to keep the program funded.

SNAP allows those with low to no income to buy food and beverages at grocery stores.

While this benefit is mandatory—unlike Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—it is funded through appropriations.

SNAP benefits were scheduled to be handed out on Nov. 1, but without government funding, that assistance will not be administered.

An earlier, now-deleted Sept. 30 post from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities titled “Lapse of Funding Plan,” said that SNAP benefits would continue flowing during the shutdown. The agency is now contradicting that earlier memo.

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Trump Says SNAP Benefits Will Be Solved for Next Month

President Donald Trump said that he believes Republicans will solve how to fund food stamps, when he was asked about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the government shutdown.

SNAP is slated to expire by Nov. 1, potentially ending benefits for millions of people across the United States.

“We’re going to get it done,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Oct. 29. “The Democrats have caused the problem, unfortunately. All they have to do is sign, and if they sign, I’ll meet with them.”

The president then suggested that the shutdown is linked to broader talks on health care and an extension of subsidies. Senate Democrats have refused 13 times to pass bills to reopen the government because those measures do not include health care provisions, including an extension of Affordable Care Act (commonly known as Obamacare) subsidies slated to expire at the end of the year.

“We have to fix health care because Obamacare is a disaster,” Trump said, referring to the Affordable Care Act. “When you see the increases in Obamacare, it never worked, it never will work, and we could do something with the Democrats much better than Obamacare. Less money and better health care.”

Trump then said that health insurance companies are “making too much money” and said that talks are needed between Republicans and Democrats when the shutdown ends.

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Illegals vs. the Deserving American Poor

The other day I was driving on a small mountain road and came upon a road construction project. At both ends of the work the flag crew consisted of two older women bundled up against the cold — yes, it’s starting to get cold in the Colorado mountains.

What struck me was their age. They were surprisingly old. I have never met these women in my life, but I’d bet a lot of money they were out working on this job not because they like the fresh air but because they need the money.

You see the same thing in Walmart, grocery, and other retail stores, and in thousands of other unseen occupations. Older workers struggling to get by, doing whatever jobs are open to people of their age and ability.

And it annoys me beyond belief. I would also bet a lot of money that the vast majority of these people either personally bled for this country or have relatives who have — far too many actually giving their lives for this great country. 

What greater sacrifice can one make for their country? I can think of none. Yet these people are kicked to the curb by our government and the elites while money that could go to them is instead showered as free stuff for illegal aliens.

Remember, that’s what the illegal part is all about — they shouldn’t have been allowed in the country in the first place. 

What could Social Security payments and others be if all this money went to only U.S. citizens? A few hundred a month could make a huge difference in these citizens’ lives. Perhaps big decreases in health insurance costs for the average working schmoe?

Is there a greater insult a country could send to its citizens than this? You or your kin gave blood and sometimes lives for this country, but when in need, the sacrifice is ignored and non-citizen criminals — they broke the law coming here and they break it every day they remain — are placed ahead of you.

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Food Stamps To Be Paused For 42 Million Americans: What To Know…

Food stamps are set to be paused on Nov. 1 because of the government shutdown.

Some 42 million Americans will not receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) until Congress approves new funding, according to federal officials, although some states have taken steps to intervene.

Congress made money available for SNAP for October before failing to reach a new government funding agreement, which resulted in the government shutting down on Oct. 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a letter to regional and state SNAP officials.

There is not enough money to pay full SNAP benefits to the approximately 42 million SNAP recipients in November, the USDA says.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the USDA said on Oct. 25.

“At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01.”

As Ryan McMaken details below, via The Mises Institute, according to the Treasury Department’s report on federal spending for fiscal year 2025, total spending on food stamps—also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—was $106 billion for the twelve-month period ending September 30. Even in our post-covid age of runaway monetary inflation, 106 billion dollars is still, as they say, “real money,” and SNAP spending doesn’t even include other food-subsidy programs like WIC and school lunch programs.  

In spite of much talk about how the Trump administration is supposedly defunding these programs, they’re not going anywhere. For the calendar year of 2025, the US is on pace to see an increase of six to seven billion dollars over 2024’s SNAP spending total of $99.7 billion. This only continues the longer term upward trend in food-stamp spending. 

Indeed, since the Great Recession (i.e., 2008), when total SNAP spending was $52 billion, total spending on the program has doubled—even when measured in inflation-adjusted dollars. 

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Gavin Newsom’s Trump Attack Backfires In Humiliating Fashion

California Governor Gavin Newsom attempted to score political points this weekend with a jab at President Donald Trump — and ended up getting roasted across social media in spectacular fashion.

On Saturday, Newsom posted on X that “Donald Trump is literally dancing in Asia while 40 million people lose access to food,” calling it “disgusting.” His post linked to an article from The Hill about the looming expiration of federal food aid under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid the ongoing government shutdown.

But within minutes, users began firing back — not at Trump, but at Newsom. Many accused the California Democrat of hypocrisy, mocking him for his past controversies and reminding him of his own international missteps.

At the heart of the issue is the Department of Agriculture’s decision not to release contingency funds for SNAP benefits if the shutdown continues past October 31. According to The Hill, the USDA argues that the emergency reserve — between $5 and $6 billion — was never intended for politically manufactured shutdowns, but for unforeseen crises such as natural disasters.

Critics say the policy change puts tens of millions of low-income Americans at risk of losing grocery assistance next month. Democrats insist the USDA’s move is illegal and claim the administration is using hunger as leverage to pressure Senate Democrats into backing a Republican spending bill. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins defended the decision, saying the law restricts the use of contingency funds to genuine emergencies.

“You’re talking about millions of vulnerable families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown,” Rollins said, adding that Senate Democrats have the power to resolve the standoff by approving the GOP plan.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) echoed that message, saying, “We have lots of SNAP recipients in our state, as we do in many others. You’re talking about — I think it’s 42 or 43 million Americans rely upon that vital service — and it’s unconscionable that they would be held at bay and held as leverage on this.”

Rather than focusing on the legislative battle, Newsom took aim at Trump personally — and it didn’t go well. The governor’s post quickly filled with replies reminding him of his own “disgusting” moment in 2020, when he dined maskless at the exclusive French Laundry restaurant while millions of Californians were under lockdown.

One viral reply from Kevin Dalton simply read: “This you, Gavo? Gavin Newsom literally dined at French Laundry after he locked 40 million Californians in their homes. Disgusting.”

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Senator Blackburn backs bill to maintain SNAP benefits amid government shutdown

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is backing a new bill to keep food assistance flowing during the government shutdown.

The Keep SNAP Funded Act aims to ensure uninterrupted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, even as government funding stalls.

“Roughly one in 10 Tennesseans receive SNAP benefits for food assistance, and they shouldn’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from…” said Blackburn.

The announcement of the new bill comes after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Friday that SNAP recipients across the state face a benefit lapse starting Nov. 1.

Sen. Josh Hawley is leading the charge on this legislation, with support from Blackburn and other senators including James Lankford, Susan Collins, Bernie Moreno, Kevin Cramer and Lisa Murkowski.

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At least 25 states plan to cut off food aid benefits in November

Millions of low-income Americans will lose access to food aid on Nov. 1, when half of states plan to cut off benefits due to the government shutdown.

Twenty-five statestold POLITICO that they are issuing notices informing participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative — that they won’t receive checks next month. Those states include California, Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Others didn’t respond to requests for comment in time for publication.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service recently told every state that they’d need to hold off on distributing benefits until further notice, according to multiple state agencies.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, told reporters at the state capitol Wednesday that President Donald Trump is the “first president in U.S. history to cut off SNAP benefits to people in America.”

“The state funding can’t begin to match what the federal government provides,” said Healey, whose state is also ending benefits Nov. 1.

Nutrition programs like SNAP and another one serving low-income mothers and infants have been caught in the crossfire of lawmakers’ spending negotiations, with the shutdown now in its fourth week. States are scrambling to maintain the programs using money from their own coffers and emergency funding from the Trump administration, but that pot is rapidly decreasing.

The administration would have to find more than $8 billion to keep SNAP afloat if the shutdown continues.

“We just can’t do it without the government being open,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a NewsNation interview Tuesday. “By Nov. 1, we are very hopeful this government reopens and we can begin moving that money out. But right now, half the states are shut down on SNAP.”

Under SNAP, which serves more than 42 million people, families receive an average of $187.20 per month to pay for groceries. The pause in benefits would kick in just before the Thanksgiving holiday and add further strain on food banks and pantries during a typically busy season.

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Trump Citizenship Audit to Cut Section 8 Housing and Other Benefits to Illegals

While the government remains shut down because Democrats demand free healthcare for illegal immigrants, President Trump has ordered a sweeping audit of federal programs to ensure that other taxpayer-funded benefits are not being distributed to illegal aliens.

The order encompasses at least 28 major programs across multiple federal agencies. Housing audits include the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and public housing.

The Department of Health and Human Services is reviewing 13 programs, including Head Start, Community Health Centers, Medicaid, and the Title X Family Planning Program, as well as a range of behavioral health and substance abuse grants.

Nutrition and welfare initiatives such as SNAP (food stamps) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) are also included in the audit.

In addition, the Department of Labor has been directed to verify immigration status within workforce programs such as WIOA, senior and youth job training, and migrant and seasonal worker initiatives.

The Department of Education will apply enhanced verification to Pell Grants, student loans, and career and technical education programs.

Together, these reviews represent one of the most comprehensive federal efforts to ensure that public benefits are reserved for American citizens and legal residents.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner has ordered a nationwide audit of public housing authorities, requiring them to verify the citizenship or legal immigration status of all Section 8 recipients within 30 days of receiving HUD’s notice.

The directive, issued on August 31, 2025, stems from President Trump’s February 19, 2025, Executive Order 14218, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.”

Under the order, authorities must provide proof of citizenship or eligible immigration status, along with recipients’ names, addresses, and unit information. Failure to comply could trigger a review of HUD funding or program eligibility.

Federal law has barred illegal aliens from receiving Section 8 assistance since 1980, but Turner said the audit aims to ensure proper enforcement and prevent applicants from leaving citizenship fields blank.

He also signaled that new rules may address “mixed-status” households containing both citizens and illegal aliens. A similar effort was made during the first Trump administration in 2019 but was later reversed by the Biden administration in 2021.

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Government Shutdown: SNAP Is Running Out of Money, Democrats Angry Illegal Aliens No Longer Qualify

The horror stories are all over the media and social platforms, and people are panicking that those receiving taxpayer-funded groceries may soon have to work and pay for their food like everyone else. Not only is President Trump not rushing to restart food stamps, but he is also auditing the program to ensure illegal aliens are no longer receiving them.

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), formerly known as food stamps, is the federal government’s largest anti-hunger program, providing monthly food benefits to roughly 42 million low-income Americans through electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. As of October 1, 2025, recipients receive maximum monthly SNAP allotments of $298 for one person, $546 for two people, $785 for three people, $994 for four people, $1,183 for five people, $1,421 for six people, $1,571 for seven people, and $1,789 for eight people, with an additional $218 for each additional person.

Now, SNAP is on the verge of running out of funding. Nearly 42 million recipients could lose their benefits as the federal shutdown continues. Funding for October was distributed to states before the shutdown began on October 1, but unless Congress restores appropriations, benefits will stop being issued on November 1.

In a letter dated October 10, 2025, USDA Acting Head of SNAP Ronald Ward warned, “If the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the nation.” Several states, including Texas, have already announced that SNAP benefits will be suspended if the shutdown extends past October 27.

The shutdown itself stems from Democrat refusal to fund the government unless President Trump reverses new eligibility restrictions that bar illegal aliens from federal assistance programs. Trump, meanwhile, is using the shutdown to audit and tighten oversight of every major welfare and benefit program, insisting that taxpayer funds must go only to citizens and lawful residents.

On April 24, 2025, USDA Acting Deputy Under Secretary John Walk issued guidance directing all state agencies to enhance identity and immigration verification practices when determining SNAP eligibility. States are now required to obtain more reliable documents to verify identity, prevent fraudulent use of Social Security numbers, and make greater use of the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database. USDA Secretary Rollins cited a Government Accountability Office report showing $10.5 billion in improper SNAP payments in fiscal year 2023, roughly 12 percent of total benefits that year, with inadequate verification of applicants’ identity and citizenship identified as a key problem.

In July 2025, the USDA expanded its data collection requirements, ordering states to provide five years of SNAP records, including all household members’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and addresses. At least 27 states have complied, turning over data that USDA is now cross-checking against DHS records through the SAVE system.

While illegal aliens are already ineligible for SNAP, many had accessed benefits through their U.S.-born children or mixed-status households, an issue the new audit aims to close.

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