Since the implementation of new federal rules under the 2025 tax and spending law, millions of Americans have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, with Arizona experiencing the most severe decline. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates that over 4.7 million people nationwide have been removed from the program since last July, representing an 11% reduction in participation. Arizona, in particular, has seen its SNAP recipient numbers drop by about half, resulting in the loss of benefits for more than 457,000 residents, including nearly 196,000 children, according to state data through the end of May.

The recent legislative changes include a $187 billion cut to SNAP funding over ten years, equating to roughly 17%, partly achieved by expanding work requirements, excluding certain immigrants, and imposing penalties on states that fail to meet new administrative and performance benchmarks starting in October 2027. The law also mandates increased cost-sharing responsibilities for states in administering the program.

Arizona’s rapid implementation of these federal provisions is a key factor driving its steep enrollment decline, state officials say. Brett Bezio, spokesperson for Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES), noted the agency must comply with federal mandates to avoid substantial fines potentially totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs’ press secretary, Liliana Soto, echoed this, emphasizing the state’s limited options given the financial risks of noncompliance.

The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service attributed enrollment declines partly to newly tightened work requirements. Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the changes as measures that prioritize American citizens and aim to reduce program fraud without providing specific examples.

The decline in SNAP assistance has coincided with unprecedented demand at food banks across Arizona. The Arizona Food Bank Network reported about 843,000 individuals sought emergency food aid in April 2026, an 8% increase from the previous year and exceeding the number of active SNAP recipients. Although food pantry usage decreased slightly in May to around 790,000, local organizations describe ongoing challenges in meeting demand. Terri Shoemaker, the network’s executive vice president, described the situation as filling “a massive gap” left by benefit cuts.

Individual stories underscore the struggles faced by those losing assistance. In Phoenix, Myriam Flores, a mother of seven, said she lost $1,100 per month in SNAP benefits after being unable to renew her enrollment this year. She described repeated difficulties reaching DES by phone and frequent visits to local food pantries. At St. Vincent de Paul pantry, program manager Cindy Bernardo reported many clients have faced delays or outright loss of benefits amid the transition to the new federal requirements.

Experts attribute some of these challenges to increased administrative burdens as Arizona seeks to meet the stricter federal eligibility and documentation standards aimed at reducing the state’s SNAP error rate. Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, pointed to overloaded call lines and heightened paperwork demands that many applicants struggle to fulfill or have processed in a timely manner. Arizona’s 2024 error rate was 8.84%, below the national average but above the 6% threshold triggering new state financial liabilities for benefit costs, potentially amounting to $201.5 million in 2027.

Expanded work requirements now apply to 14 of Arizona’s 15 counties, a notable increase from just one county previously, according to Joseph Palomino, director of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress. This shift, combined with documentation hurdles, has made timely access to benefits more difficult, contributing to what he described as people “falling through the cracks.” In response, Arizona DES is increasing staffing and contracting a third-party call center to improve service delivery.

Similar declines in SNAP enrollment have been observed in other states, with decreases of 17.4% in Louisiana, 11.6% in Wyoming, and 13.7% in Virginia over the past year, USDA figures show. State agencies noted that these declines largely reflect implementation of the federal changes. Virginia’s Department of Social Services reported a 12% drop in SNAP recipients and warned that the new law has resulted in more families facing hunger. Louisiana’s health department did not respond to inquiries, while Wyoming’s family services department acknowledged that federal policy adjustments accounted for much of their enrollment decrease.