Hunger by Policy: SNAP Cuts Hit Hardest in Black America

June 11, 2026

The "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" signed in 2025 has cut $187 billion from SNAP food assistance over ten years, causing more than 4 million Americans to lose benefits, with Black communities facing disproportionate harm. The law implements stricter work requirements for previously exempt groups including older adults, parents of teenagers, veterans, and homeless individuals, while also eliminating benefits for legal immigrants. Additionally, 22 states have begun restricting what items SNAP recipients can purchase, particularly targeting sugary foods and beverages, despite many of these states lacking adequate grocery access in Black neighborhoods.

Who is affected

More than 4 million people who have already lost SNAP benefits
Approximately 10.2 million Black Americans who participate in SNAP (26% of total participants)
Adults aged 55-64 who lost their age exemption
Parents whose youngest child is 14 or older
Veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth who lost previous exemptions
Legal immigrants stripped of SNAP eligibility
Over 1 million adults aged 55 and older estimated to lose benefits
3.5 million recipients in Texas affected by purchasing restrictions
SNAP recipients in 22 states facing purchasing restrictions
Food banks, pantries, and charitable food organizations

What action is being taken

The "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" has been signed into law and implemented
More than 4 million people are losing SNAP benefits
22 states are banning SNAP purchases of specific items including sodas, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts
Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and South Carolina are phasing in purchasing restrictions
Recipients in five states (Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia) have filed lawsuits challenging the restrictions
Anti-hunger advocates are testifying at Congressional hearings about the impact

Why it matters

This represents a fundamental restructuring of America's largest food assistance program that serves 42 million people monthly, with Black Americans bearing disproportionate impact due to persistent racial wealth and wage gaps. The $187 billion in cuts, combined with expanded work requirements and purchasing restrictions, will eliminate an estimated 6 billion meals for low-income Americans over the next decade. The significance extends beyond immediate hunger concerns, as the charitable food system can only provide one meal for every nine SNAP meals and cannot replace this government support. The state-by-state approach to purchasing restrictions also dismantles the uniform national standard that previously existed, creating a fragmented system that particularly harms Black communities already facing limited grocery access in food-desert neighborhoods.

What's next

The outcome of litigation in five states could determine whether purchasing restrictions survive or must be reconsidered
States are continuing to phase in purchasing restrictions throughout this year
Anti-hunger advocates warn that more severe impacts are still ahead as the cuts continue over the next decade

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint