USDA Mandates Immigration Status Checks for SNAP Benefits

The USDA under Secretary Brooke Rollins issues a directive requiring states to verify immigration status of SNAP applicants beyond existing federal requirements, a move critics say violates the Food Security Act and creates barriers for mixed-status families. Legal advocates argue the directive is unauthorized rulemaking that circumvents congressional authority, while the administration frames it as fraud prevention. Approximately 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits.