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Do refugees lose SNAP benefits during an OBBB emergency declaration?
Executive summary
Federal law changed in July 2025 with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), and the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) guidance says some lawfully present noncitizen groups that previously could get SNAP — including many refugees and asylees — are no longer on the federal eligibility list; Section 10108 took effect on enactment, July 4, 2025 [1] [2]. FNS specifically notes that if an individual loses SNAP eligibility at recertification because of the OBBB changes, states should not pursue claims to recoup benefits paid after the law took effect [3] [2].
1. What the new federal rule says in plain language
The OBBB amended SNAP eligibility so the federal statutory list of noncitizen groups eligible for SNAP narrowed substantially; under the law only certain categories (for example, U.S. citizens, certain lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and Compact of Free Association nationals) remain explicitly eligible, while refugees, many asylees, parolees and other humanitarian categories were removed from the federal text [4] [5] [1].
2. How this affects refugees on SNAP now
Multiple advocacy and policy outlets report that people with refugee or asylee status who previously qualified for SNAP will lose federal eligibility under OBBB; state implementation began in late 2025 and some states are already sending termination notices or planning terminations at recertification [4] [6] [5]. FNS’s implementation materials and memo confirm that “some alien groups previously eligible for SNAP are no longer eligible” and that Section 10108 was effective upon enactment [2] [1].
3. Timing and administrative practice: recertification and over‑issuance
FNS guidance says households are not required to report a change in immigration status and states should not seek to recoup SNAP benefits that were issued after the OBBB changes took effect when someone loses eligibility at recertification [3] [2]. That means many refugees who were already receiving benefits may continue to get benefits until their next certification review, and payments made after July 4, 2025 are not automatically subject to an over‑issuance claim if loss of eligibility is due to OBBB [3].
4. State variability and possible safety‑net responses
States implement SNAP and many details (timing of notices, recertification scheduling, and whether state‑funded alternatives exist) vary. Reports show some states plan immediate terminations or are mailing individual termination letters, while others will wait until recertification [6] [7]. State choices and limited federal guidance produce unequal outcomes across jurisdictions [6] [2].
5. Practical consequences and wider policy context
Policy groups warn the OBBB SNAP changes will raise food insecurity for refugees and other humanitarian entrants and may have ripple effects on local economies and related programs (e.g., school meals, other benefits) [4] [6] [5]. Opponents frame the changes as cutting lawful immigrants’ access to basic supports; supporters of the law advance arguments about restricting benefits to citizens and certain legal permanent residents [8] [9]. Available sources do not mention precise nationwide counts of how many refugees will lose benefits; that figure is not provided in the linked material (not found in current reporting).
6. Legal and practical protections for those affected
FNS’s documentation provides a limited protection: no over‑issuance claims for benefits received after OBBB changes if ineligibility arises at recertification [3] [2]. Beyond that, advocacy organizations and legal services are encouraging impacted individuals to watch for state notices, to respond promptly, and to seek local legal help where possible; some organizations report states may be using different administrative approaches [6] [7].
7. What to watch next — open questions and likely disputes
Key issues remaining in reporting include whether states will adopt supplemental state‑funded programs, how many people will actually be terminated, and whether any legal challenges will alter implementation; reporting notes confusion about timing and state discretion [2] [8] [6]. Also, some summaries suggest certain green‑card holders who obtained status through refugee/asylee routes retain narrower exemptions, but the interaction of those rules with OBBB is complex and described unevenly across sources [7] [9].
Conclusion — the bottom line for your original question: refugees can and in many cases will lose federal SNAP eligibility because OBBB narrowed the eligible noncitizen categories effective July 4, 2025, but FNS guidance says benefits already paid after enactment should not be reclaimed if loss of eligibility is solely due to the law and occurs at recertification; implementation details and timing depend heavily on each state [4] [2] [3].