When Olena K. arrived in Washington in 2023 as a refugee from Ukraine fleeing war with nothing but $2,000 in cash, food stamps were a crucial lifeline. She got $298 each month through SNAP, the federal program that helps low-income people buy groceries.
Without it, she worried about surviving in a new country where she didn’t speak the language well. “I cannot even think about how a person could survive without this support,” Olena said through an interpreter. She asked to use only her first name and last initial to protect her family still in Ukraine.
Olena’s story shows the real impact of recent SNAP eligibility changes. Thousands of refugees, asylum seekers, and other immigrants with humanitarian protections in Washington now risk losing federal food assistance. This comes from a new Republican-backed tax and spending bill signed by President Donald Trump in July.
The bill, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, tightens rules on who can get SNAP. Undocumented immigrants were never eligible, but now many legal immigrants face cuts too.
Nationwide, about 434,000 refugees and asylum seekers used SNAP in 2023. That’s just 1% of all users. Another 1.3 million noncitizens, like lawful permanent residents, made up 3%. The Congressional Budget Office says the changes could cut 90,000 people from SNAP each month on average.
In Washington, around 30,000 people with humanitarian visas rely on the program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture now says groups like refugees who become green card holders are ineligible forever.
These Trump SNAP restrictions aim to limit public benefits for immigrants. But a 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found refugees and asylum seekers add $123.8 billion more to the economy than they cost over 15 years. They pay taxes and contribute. About one in five get SNAP at some point, but many stop once they find jobs.
For new arrivals fleeing violence, losing SNAP is scary. They often come with little money or connections. “It’s really significant,” said Kathleen Morris, executive director of the International Rescue Committee in Washington. People might have to choose between food and rent or heat. Crisann Brooks from Refugee Women’s Alliance in Seattle agrees. Her group helps 5,000 to 6,000 people a year, and most use SNAP. Staff are now warning clients about possible cuts.
Griff Lambert from Jewish Family Service of Seattle says they sign up nearly all new refugees for SNAP right away. It’s key for getting settled and finding work. During a recent government shutdown, SNAP stopped for the first time in 60 years. Groups like World Relief Western Washington gave out grocery gift cards through churches. “There are real human beings behind those numbers,” said Medard Ngueita from World Relief. He urges leaders not to let families go hungry.
Washington state is stepping up with its own food assistance. The state-funded Food Assistance Program, or FAP, already helps legal immigrants who can’t get federal SNAP. Before the changes, FAP was set to cost $110.2 million this fiscal year. Now, the Department of Social and Health Services plans to move about 14,365 affected households to FAP. That could cost $126.3 million over two years.
People won’t see their benefits drop, and they don’t need to reapply. FAP gives an average of $341 a month to over 22,500 households. But refugee groups worry it won’t last. The state faces budget shortfalls. “The state does everything it can, but this is a huge deficit to fill,” Morris said. Lambert added that funding might not hold up long-term.
On Wednesday, Washington joined 21 other states and D.C. in suing the Trump administration. They say the USDA rules break federal law and force states to pay more. The suit seeks to block the changes.
Food insecurity is rising for immigrants. SNAP helps 42 million Americans buy healthy food. Cuts could hurt child development and family health. In Washington, community groups and food banks are bracing for more need.
Olena hopes to teach music one day and become independent. For now, state food assistance gives her hope. “It gives you hope for the future to move step by step,” she said. As SNAP eligibility changes hit, Washington’s FAP program offers a bridge. But with food insecurity for immigrants growing, the fight continues.
