Federal SNAP Restrictions Cut Refugee Eligibility, Expand Work Requirements Through Age 64
The 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act restricted noncitizen access to SNAP, eliminating benefits for refugees, and expanded work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents from age 54 to 64. In North Dakota, approximately 1,000 noncitizens and 5,600 adults are losing benefits. Affected adults must now work, train, or volunteer at least 80 hours monthly to maintain eligibility or face a three-year lockout after three months. The maximum dependent age for exemptions dropped from 18 to 14. Refugee resettlement agencies report families losing nutrition support while seeking employment.
These SNAP eligibility restrictions will shift costs to state Medicaid programs as food-insecure populations face worsening health outcomes and increased emergency department utilization, particularly affecting Medicaid-enrolled refugees and low-income working adults.
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