Overview
- Federal data show SNAP enrollment dropped by 4.2 million between January 2025 and January 2026, with Arizona posting the steepest decline at 43.27% or 388,781 people, according to a Newsweek analysis.
- Congress tightened eligibility and expanded work requirements in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the USDA set November 1, 2025 as the date for states to apply the new rules.
- Beyond stricter rules, many lost benefits because they missed required documents or ran into recertification problems during the transition.
- Illinois is now telling adults ages 18 to 64 without children under 14 to document at least 80 hours a month of work, volunteering, or approved training to keep SNAP, with exemptions for pregnancy, caregiving, or certified medical limits.
- Food banks and grocers in the Chicago area expect higher demand, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository says charitable food cannot replace the reach of the federal program.