Hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents could lose access to federal food assistance following major changes passed in the latest domestic policy plan.
President Donald Trump signed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” into law on July 4, making sweeping changes to social service programs, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The new law expands work requirements for many recipients and shifts part of the program’s funding burden to states.
SNAP, originally created as food stamps during the Great Depression and renamed in 2008, offers monthly benefits for low-income Americans to buy select groceries. While states share administrative costs, the federal government has traditionally paid for the benefits themselves.
Under the new law, work requirements now apply to people up to age 64, including groups that had previously been exempt, such as homeless individuals, veterans, and young adults aging out of foster care. Previously, only people ages 18 to 54 had to meet these requirements. Once implemented, these recipients must complete at least 80 hours per month of paid work, unpaid work, or volunteer service to remain eligible for benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Exemptions remain for those physically unable to work, including during pregnancy.
The State of Illinois estimates that about 360,000 people could be at risk of losing SNAP benefits under these new rules. As of March 2025, roughly 1.9 million Illinois residents were receiving assistance through the program.
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