At least 3.5 million people have lost food stamp access as Trump's 'big beautiful bill' cuts take effect, analysis finds

Cars line up outside a food pantry in North Carolina, April 3, 2026. Lindsey Nicholson | UCG | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Consumers are facing price pressures as the costs of groceries and gas rise. The pace of inflation is expected to increase in the coming months, according to the Survey of Professional Forecasters, a quarterly macroeconomic survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Meanwhile, there has been a "remarkable increase in food insecurity," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in a recent blog post, as people cope with higher costs and the loss of federal aid. A new analysis shows that nationwide almost 9% of individuals — more than 3.5 million — who were beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , which provides food benefits to low-income families, lost those benefits between July, when President Donald Trump signed his "big beautiful bill" into law, and February. The analysis was conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities , a nonpartisan research and policy institute. That legislation included more stringent rules to qualify for SNAP, particularly regarding work requirements. In addition, the law shifted some administrative and cost responsibilities to states. Ahead of the law's passage, proponents said the changes to SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, would reduce waste and provide accountability. …