Trump administration wants everyone to reapply for food stamps. What does that mean?

USDA's plan to have food stamp recipients reapply has caused widespread confusion, with advocates and lawmakers questioning the motives behind the proposal. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins suggested that nearly 42 million people who receive federal food aid would need to reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps.

Critics argue that this plan would be duplicative, create significant paperwork backlogs, and likely result in many eligible individuals losing benefits. Experts point out that fraud is not a widespread problem with SNAP, citing data that only 0.1% of households enrolled in the program are referred for administrative review or prosecution on suspicion of fraud.

Rollins' comments were made during an interview on Newsmax, where she claimed that the program is plagued by widespread fraud. However, experts dispute this claim, saying that intentional fraud by participants is rare. The USDA has stated that Rollins wants to reduce fraud in the SNAP program, but critics argue that her plan would be ineffective and cause more harm than good.

The proposal comes as the Trump administration seeks to cut food assistance for millions of Americans. In November, congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump signed a major tax cuts and spending law that is expected to shrink federal SNAP spending by $187 billion over 10 years. This has added work requirements for many SNAP recipients and shifted some costs to states.

Lawmakers have expressed outrage at Rollins' comments, with Ranking Member Angie Craig calling them "bullsh*t" and "propaganda." Experts argue that the proposal would harm vulnerable populations, including low-income families and children who rely on SNAP to access basic necessities like food.

The USDA has not provided clear details on how it plans to proceed with the proposal or under what authority it will implement Rollins' plan. Spokespeople have declined to respond to follow-up questions or criticisms from lawmakers and experts.

Critics argue that instead of reapplying for benefits, SNAP recipients should be working towards more targeted reforms that address the root causes of food insecurity and improve the overall effectiveness of the program.

This USDA plan just doesn't make sense to me... all that paperwork and hassle for someone who's already struggling to get by? 42 million people are counting on those food stamps to put food on the table, and now they're gonna have to reapply because of a few bad apples? It's not even like there's widespread fraud going on – experts say it's super rare! And what's with the timing, anyway? Cutting back on food assistance while proposing this plan is just cruel.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new plan from the USDA... it seems like a total mess! I mean, 42 million people have to reapply for their food stamps? That's just crazy talk! And all because of some alleged "fraud" problem that only affects 0.1% of households? Come on, right?

I'm so worried about the impact this plan will have on vulnerable populations like low-income families and kids. They need these benefits to survive, not just to get by. It's like we're trying to make things more complicated for people who already have it tough enough. And don't even get me started on the paperwork backlog... I mean, what was Rollins thinking?

I wish lawmakers would take a closer look at this plan and focus on finding actual solutions to food insecurity instead of just making stuff up or using propaganda to scare people. We need real change, not just more chaos.

this whole thing is just messed up... like what's the point of making people reapply for something they already qualify for? it's not like it's gonna make a difference in reducing fraud or anything... 0.1% is still way too much if you ask me and it's just going to cause more stress for people who are already struggling to get by... we need to focus on actual solutions, like increasing funding for SNAP or providing more resources for low-income families and by the way, what's with all these work requirements? isn't that just gonna push people further into poverty?

I'm so confused about this USDA plan . Like, aren't we trying to help people out here? Not reapplying for food stamps just 'cause some person in charge thinks there's too much fraud going on... that doesn't add up to me . And what's the real motive behind this proposal anyway? Is it really about cutting down on fraud or is it just an excuse to slash funds from already-underfunded programs? I don't buy it .

We need to focus on making sure everyone has access to healthy food and not worry so much about paper work and bureaucratic stuff. Like, what's the point of reapplying if we're just gonna confuse people even more? And let's be real... most people aren't trying to scam the system. Only 0.1% of households get flagged for fraud! That's crazy low .

We should be working together to make SNAP better, not making it harder for people who already need help. We need more support and less drama . This plan just feels like a huge mess and I'm not on board .

I'm all about helping out those in need, but this plan just seems like a total headache . Requiring 42 million people to reapply for food stamps is gonna be a nightmare - think all that extra paperwork and bureaucracy... it's just not necessary . And honestly, the idea that we're seeing widespread fraud in SNAP when only 0.1% of households are referred for review? That sounds like a total myth to me . I get where the USDA wants to reduce waste, but this plan just seems like it's gonna hurt more people than it helps . Can't we just focus on making sure everyone has access to food and basic necessities instead of reapplying for benefits all over again?

I gotta say, this whole thing is just a huge mess ... What's really going on here is that the US government is trying to cut corners and blame the SNAP recipients for their own problems instead of addressing the real issues . It's like they're saying 'you're lazy' when in reality, people are struggling to make ends meet . And what's with this 'fraud' thing? I mean, sure, there might be some instances, but to say it's widespread and cause 42 million ppl to reapply is just ridiculous . We gotta stop trying to shame the vulnerable and start working together to solve real problems . This whole thing is like a big ol' mess, and I'm not buying into this 'reform' nonsense ...

This whole thing got me thinking... Why do we keep trying to fix the system by putting more roadblocks in place? Like, isn't the goal to help people get back on their feet? I mean, yeah, some folks might be trying to scam the system, but is that really a widespread problem? The stats say 0.1% is all we're looking at. That's not exactly a epidemic of dishonesty if you ask me...

And what about all the good people who just need help getting by? They shouldn't have to deal with more paperwork and stress just because some folks are trying to take advantage of the system. I feel like we're always trying to find ways to make things harder for people instead of making it easier for them to get back on track.

It's like, what if instead of reapplying for benefits, we were actually working towards creating a better system that doesn't need all these extra hoops? Wouldn't that be something?

come on Brooke Rollins is at it again trying to take away food from people who need it most! this plan is just plain cruel. what's next, taking away healthcare? or housing? the USDA should be working towards solutions not scapegoating the very people they're supposed to be helping. and btw 0.1% of households being referred for fraud is a tiny fraction, it doesn't justify stripping away benefits from millions. this is just another example of politicians trying to score points with their base instead of doing what's right.

I think this plan is a total mess . Like, why would you just reapply for something that's already been done? It's causing so much stress and confusion for people who need help the most . And honestly, who do they think is cheating on food stamps anyway? 0.1% of households that are enrolled? That sounds like a pretty small number to me .

And can we talk about how this proposal comes at a time when there's already so much going on with the tax cuts and spending law? Like, shouldn't they be focusing on helping people who need it most instead of making things more complicated for them?

I don't get why the USDA thinks reapplying is gonna reduce fraud. If anything, it sounds like it's just gonna cause a whole lot more problems. And the fact that lawmakers are calling out Rollins' comments as "bullsh*t" and "propaganda"... yeah, I think they're right .

We should be working towards making SNAP better, not worse . Like, how about we focus on improving the program instead of creating more hoops for people to jump through?

Come on, Brooke Rollins is seriously thinking we need to reapply for food stamps? Like, what's next? Reapplying for air to breathe? It's just plain stupid. And don't even get me started on her claims of widespread fraud - 0.1% of households enrolled in SNAP are referred for admin review or prosecution? That's a whole lot of people wrongly accused! It's time to focus on fixing the program, not creating more work for people who already have too much on their plates.

And can we talk about the timing of this proposal? Trump's administration is trying to cut food assistance for millions of Americans and now they're introducing a plan that would cause more harm than good? It's just cruel. And what's with all these work requirements and state costs shifts? Like, don't people have enough to do already?

I'm telling ya, this whole thing is just another example of how politicians are trying to screw over vulnerable people for their own agendas . Brooke Rollins is just a pawn in Trump's game to cut food assistance and shift the burden to states . The fact that only 0.1% of households are referred for administrative review or prosecution on suspicion of fraud is being totally ignored, it's like they're just trying to create more problems than solutions .

And what's with all these "duplicative" claims? Are we really so short-staffed in the bureaucracy that we need to reapply for food stamps every five years? It's just a way to create more work and stress for people who already have too much on their plate. The USDA should be focusing on ways to improve the program, not making it harder for people to get help .

The Trump admin is trying to reduce fraud, but all this reapplying for benefits will just do the opposite . And what's the real target here? Low-income families and children who need food assistance the most? It's disgusting . We should be working towards solutions that support these communities, not making their lives more complicated .

I mean, what's next? Are they gonna make us reapply for oxygen too? It's just another example of the government trying to "fix" a problem that doesn't even exist. 0.1% of households getting fraudulently kicked out is basically nothing, but hey, if it makes Rollins feel like she's doing something, I guess that's what matters. And btw, who needs the complexity and stress of reapplying for benefits when there are more pressing issues to tackle? The fact that lawmakers are calling her comments "bullsh*t" is music to my ears, though

Omg this is so frustrating - I can imagine how confusing and scary it must be for ppl who already struggle to make ends meet just knowing they might lose their benefits because of some admin change . I mean, like Brooke Rollins says one thing but then experts are all "um nope, that's not even close" . And can we talk about how this timing is just perfect? Like, the Trump admin is already trying to cut food assistance and now they're trying to make ppl reapply . It's just so unfair . We need to support those who are advocating for real change instead of just pushing more paperwork around .

omg is this 4 real?? i mean i get it ppl r mad about "fraud" but 0.1% is NOT widespread lol what's next? reapplying for air like how hard is it to keep track of who gets food stamps anyway?? and btw if they wanna reduce fraud, why not just put more resources into monitoring instead of messing with ppl's benefits?? this whole thing is just a mess

omg just heard about this usda's plan is crazy 42 million people? why do they need to reapply it's gonna cause so much stress and paperwork backlogs experts say fraud is super rare 0.1% of households get flagged for review but Rollins says it's widespread and now lawmakers are like "uh no" critics think this plan will hurt low-income fams and kids who need food more than ever

I mean I remember when my mom used to struggle with food stamps back in the day ... it's just not right that they're trying to reapply all these people for something that's already supposed to be a safety net, you know? I'm so confused why we need to do this again. The numbers are crazy - 42 million people, and they think most of them are gonna lose their benefits because of some fake fraud? That just doesn't add up, fam . And what's with the whole tax cuts thing? Like, isn't that the kind of stuff that would hurt people who need food stamps in the first place? It's just so frustrating when they try to spin this as a way to "reduce fraud" but really it's just an excuse to cut services for those who can least afford them. Ugh, I'm just so fed up with all this

I gotta say , this whole thing with Rollins' plan just smells like a bunch of partisan politics to me . It's all about scapegoating vulnerable populations, like low-income families and kids who rely on SNAP for basic necessities . The fact that she's trying to tie this to reducing fraud is just weak . We all know there isn't widespread fraud in the program, so what's really driving this proposal? Is it about cutting more programs to line the pockets of the wealthy? I don't buy it . And let's not forget, we're already seeing work requirements and cost shifts to states, which are basically attacks on people who need the most help . Rollins is just trying to score points with her base, but at what cost? The real issue here is food insecurity, not fake fraud claims .

I agree that we need to crack down on fraud in the SNAP program but implementing a blanket reapplication requirement is just too much. I mean, 42 million people would have to go through all that hassle? It's not exactly the most efficient use of resources. I'm also concerned about how this plan will affect vulnerable populations like low-income families and kids who are already struggling to make ends meet. We should be working towards solutions that support them, not just throwing more paperwork at them. And let's be real, the Trump administration is just trying to cut costs for their own gain... it's pretty suspicious

I feel bad for those 42 million people who are gonna have to go through this . I get that the USDA wants to cut down on fraud, but is reapplying really the best way? It just seems like a whole lotta extra hassle and stress for people who already have too much on their plate. And, imo, 0.1% of households with fraud issues still sounds like a lot to me . I mean, can't we just focus on making the program better and more effective instead? Maybe we could look into ways to make it easier for people to access benefits or provide more support for those who need it most . Let's try to find solutions that actually help people, you know?