Starting Saturday (February 1), stricter work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will take effect, potentially leaving millions of Americans without grocery assistance. Nearly 42 million Americans currently rely on the federal program to help pay for food and household essentials.
The changes stem from President Donald Trump‘s megabill, signed into law in July 2025, which expanded work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents. The upper age limit for those who must meet work requirements jumped from 54 to 64 years old for the first time. Additionally, exemptions for parents or caregivers now only apply to those caring for children under 14, rather than under 18.
Congressional Budget Office estimates from August 2025 suggest about 1.1 million people will lose SNAP benefits between 2025 and 2034. This includes 800,000 able-bodied adults through age 64 who don’t live with dependents and 300,000 parents or caregivers up to age 64 with children aged 14 and older. An additional one million people who would have received waivers from work requirements could also lose benefits.
The megabill removed exemptions for particularly vulnerable groups, including homeless individuals, veterans, and young adults who were in foster care when they turned 18. Joel Berg, CEO of the nonprofit Hunger Free America, warned about the impact. “Millions of people will unnecessarily be kicked off the rolls,” he told ABC News. “They will lose the food they need, and sometimes family members need. More Americans will go hungry.”
In Illinois alone, up to 340,000 residents are at risk of losing benefits with the new requirements, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. Adults who do not meet the requirements can only receive SNAP benefits for up to three months in a three-year period. As of September 2025, nearly two million Illinois residents were using SNAP benefits.
Supporters of the work requirements argue they are necessary to combat waste, fraud and abuse. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins defended the changes in a Fox Business interview Friday, stating that SNAP benefits should be temporary. “The American dream is not being on [a] food stamp program,” Rollins said. “That should be a hand up, not a handout. As of yesterday, we have moved 1.75 million people off of SNAP.”
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