SNAP program will undergo changes this week, many recipient could lose benefits

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the Trump administration will implement structural changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) this week, according to NPR. Rollins points to “massive fraud” in the program to justify the changes, claiming hundreds of thousands of Americans are receiving double benefits and thousands of deceased people are receiving benefits. The validity of these statistics are unclear, as the USDA has not confirmed Rollins claims.

The changes come on the heels of the November SNAP interruption caused by the government shutdown, which Rollins said spurred the structural changes. Rollins did not specify what changes will occur. A USDA draft of regulation submitted last month suggests the changes may narrow the “broad-based categorical eligibility,” which some welfare recipients can qualify under. A senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities told NPR an estimated 6 million people could lose benefits with a policy change this big.

Rollins also said all SNAP recipients would have to reapply to receive benefits. A statement from a USDA spokesperson seemed to walk back Rollins’s comment, saying the agency plans to use the standard recertification process.