US citizens make up the majority of SNAP recipients, contrary to X posts

As the federal government shutdown continues, the Trump administration agreed to partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, after a federal court ruling.

About 42 million people participate in SNAP, which provides food assistance to low-income households. But online, X users have fueled doubts about the program’s beneficiaries. 

An X video with 2.3 million views as of Nov. 3 said 30% of SNAP recipients are U.S.-born citizens.

Another X post said, "59% of food stamp recipients aren’t even American?!"

Those are vast undercounts of the percentage of U.S. citizens receiving SNAP benefits. Almost 36 million of more than 40 million SNAP recipients were U.S.-born citizens, according to U.S. Agriculture Department data for 2023, the latest year available. That’s about 89% of SNAP participants.

Adding in naturalized citizens, the percentage of SNAP beneficiaries with citizenship goes to 95.6%. ​

The 2023 data shows 1.1% of SNAP recipients are refugees, and 3.3% are other noncitizens, which can include lawful permanent residents, asylees, people granted stays of deportation and people without lawful status. 

USDA wrote in its report that while undocumented individuals are ineligible for SNAP, they might live with people who qualify for the program. Only 1.2% of SNAP households had citizen children living with participating noncitizen adults, and 4.2% of households had citizen children living with nonparticipating noncitizen adults.

Before President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July, refugees and people who had been granted asylum qualified for SNAP without a waiting period. Other noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, could qualify for SNAP after completing a five-year waiting period.

The July law changed eligibility requirements, so refugees and asylees are no longer eligible.

A report by the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that favors low immigration levels, appears to be a source for the 59% figure, although social media posts misconstrued its meaning. The center used data from the U.S. Census’ 2022 Survey of Income and Program Participation for its December 2023 estimate that 59% of households headed by immigrants in the U.S. illegally use "at least one major program."

"We have no evidence this is due to fraud," the authors wrote.

The analysis said 17% of "illegal immigrant households" participated in SNAP, pointing out many of the households have one or more U.S.-born citizen children.

USDA data from 2023 shows 98% of participating SNAP households had U.S. citizens.

We rate the claim that the majority of SNAP recipients are not U.S. citizens False.

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