Arizona SNAP enrollment fell by half as 5 million Americans so far have lost food aid

USDA data shows more than 330,000 Americans lost SNAP benefits between May and June alone, part of a decline exceeding 5 million people since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act took effect last July. The law tightened eligibility, ended work-requirement exemptions, and shifted new administrative and benefit costs onto states.

Arizona's SNAP participation dropped by more than half, Louisiana's fell 22%, and Illinois' fell 20%, according to the Food Research and Action Center. A Senate Agriculture Committee farm bill proposal would delay some cost shifts by one year, short of the two-year extension Democrats sought, while advocates call for a full reversal of the cuts.

States face new financial exposure tied to payment error rates, a technical measure of over- and under-payments rather than fraud, that could cost them billions starting in 2027. A state legislative official told lawmakers in July that basic questions about how and when states will pay their share remain unanswered.

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