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Which noncitizen groups remain categorically ineligible for SNAP in 2025 and why?
Executive summary
As of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB/H.R.1) enacted July 4, 2025, Congress narrowed which non‑citizen (alien) groups are categorically eligible for SNAP; several groups who had been routinely eligible (for example refugees and asylees) were removed from the statutory list, while a set of specified groups remain eligible (including lawful permanent residents who meet prior exemptions, certain Special Immigrant Visa holders, and others listed in the statute and FNS guidance) [1] [2]. Federal guidance and state implementation memos clarify that aliens not falling into the amended section 6(f) categories must be removed from SNAP households and that a 5‑year waiting period continues to apply unless a statutory exemption covers the individual [1] [2].
1. What the law changed: a narrower statutory list
The OBBB amended section 6(f) of the Food and Nutrition Act and limited SNAP eligibility to the specific alien groups named in the revised statute; Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) guidance and the September 2025 information memorandum explain that “some alien groups previously eligible for SNAP are no longer eligible” and direct states to verify status using the SAVE system and remove ineligible aliens from certification [1]. State implementation materials likewise note H.R.1 “changes SNAP eligibility for some noncitizens who were previously eligible” effective November 1, 2025 for certain administrative actions [2].
2. Which non‑citizen groups explicitly remain eligible (per FNS guidance)
FNS states that after the OBBB, eligibility is limited to the groups listed in the amended 6(f); the FNS implementation memo summarizes and charts those eligible groups and highlights continued exceptions such as Special Immigrant Visas tied to Iraqi and Afghani SIV programs and other statutorily protected categories [1] [2]. State memos echo that SIV holders and certain other groups remain eligible under the law [2].
3. Groups that lost categorical eligibility (refugees, asylees, some humanitarian entrants)
Before the law change, refugees and asylees were explicitly eligible for SNAP without a 5‑year wait; after OBBB, FNS and state guidance note that refugees, asylees, and similar humanitarian entrants are no longer automatically within the eligible list in section 6(f) and thus may be disqualified unless they fit another listed category or meet an exemption [1] [2]. Reporting from fact‑check outlets summarizes this shift: “Before the law’s passage, refugees and people who had been granted asylum qualified for SNAP without a waiting period. The July law changed eligibility requirements, so refugees and asylees are no longer eligible” under the prior formulation [3].
4. The continuing role of the 5‑year waiting period and exemptions
FNS reiterates that aliens remain subject to the 5‑year waiting period established by prior law (PRWORA), unless they fall into statutory exemptions — and OBBB did not eliminate the 5‑year framework but altered which groups are exempted from it by name [1]. Guidance tells states to apply SAVE to verify status and to treat aliens who do not match one of the named categories as ineligible for SNAP [1].
5. Practical consequences and state actions
Implementation materials and state memos show practical steps: states were instructed to remove aliens who no longer fall into section 6(f) categories and to send notices to households when members become ineligible; FNS allowed a temporary 120‑day variance window for misapplication of the change through November 1, 2025, reflecting administrative complexity in rolling out the new rules [1] [2].
6. What reporting and fact‑checks add — scale and misconceptions
Fact‑checking outlets and major reporting place these statutory changes in a broader context: historically, the vast majority of SNAP recipients are U.S.‑born citizens or naturalized citizens, and unauthorized immigrants have never been eligible to receive SNAP benefits directly [4] [3] [5]. Those outlets also note that prior to OBBB, refugees/asylees were an important exempted category — explaining why the statutory narrowing drew attention [3] [5].
7. Limitations of current reporting and what is not clear from these sources
Available sources do not provide a clause‑by‑clause text listing every named eligible group in the amended section 6(f) within these documents; instead FNS summarizes and provides charts and attachments that state agencies must use [1]. Detailed counts of how many individuals in each non‑citizen subcategory will be affected nationwide are not given in the provided materials [1] [2]. If you want the exact statutory list language or an itemized chart, consult the FNS attachment and the amended Food and Nutrition Act text referenced in the FNS memo [1].
Bottom line: OBBB/H.R.1 (July 4, 2025) tightened SNAP’s statutory eligibility for aliens by naming a narrower set of eligible non‑citizen groups; FNS guidance and state memos identify which categories remain covered, make clear the 5‑year waiting period still governs unless statutorily exempted, and instruct states to remove aliens who no longer fall within the amended section 6(f) [1] [2].