With the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill, Nebraska has witnessed a significant decrease in the number of households benefiting from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). From June 2025 to June 2026, the state saw a 15% reduction in SNAP beneficiaries, with immigrant and refugee communities experiencing the brunt of these changes. Nonprofits are now grappling with the increased demand for food access support.
Data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services reveals that approximately 4,600 immigrants and refugees were removed from SNAP between January 2025 and April 2026. This represents a 38% decline in SNAP participation for these groups, whereas U.S. citizen participation decreased by 18% during the same period.
‘I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to do this’
Federal policy supporters argue that these restrictions curb program abuse and prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving benefits. Opponents, however, claim that the new eligibility criteria have led to confusion and administrative challenges, resulting in the unnecessary loss of benefits for many.
Hannah Vlach, executive director at Restoring Dignity, an Omaha-based nonprofit, expressed concerns about the impact of the changes. “Traditionally, we have just been focused on housing. We teach families how to acclimate to life here in America,” Vlach stated. “It wasn’t until last year when all of these changes started happening by the Trump administration that we realized that food security is housing security.”
The changes took effect on October 1. Vlach noted that families faced tough decisions about which expenses to prioritize, often resulting in them taking on additional jobs or facing hunger.
“I had gone over to a family’s house … There were 15 people living in one house,” she recounted. “They showed me their empty fridge. They showed me their empty cabinets. They had like a 2-year-old little kid who was walking around, and they were drinking diluted milk in their bottle because they had run out of everything, and they were trying to stretch everything that they had.”
Prior to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, undocumented immigrants were ineligible for SNAP benefits. Vlach emphasized, “What [Congress] did in the OBBBA actually did nothing to prevent people who are undocumented from getting on SNAP. What it did was make life a lot harder for people who are here legally.”
As more individuals lose benefits, nonprofits are finding it increasingly challenging to address the gaps. The task of coordinating resources such as transportation to food banks and funds for groceries is becoming more daunting.
“I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to do this. As of right now, our staff are completely stretched thin,” Vlach added. “It’s going to get to a point where we’re not going to be able to help everyone who needs help, and then what? We’re marching towards a boiling point.”
Restoring Dignity has launched a “Feed a Family” initiative, providing grocery gift cards to 38 families, while the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement’s Stability program has supported 130 families in accessing food.
Potential further changes to SNAP are on the horizon as Gov. Jim Pillen considers restricting USDA food pantry access for non-citizens, a move that Vlach fears could exacerbate current food access issues.
“How do you prove citizenship? What about someone who’s homeless? What if they don’t have any documents, and they’re American-born?” Vlach questioned. “I don’t know. It’s not okay.”
Losses for legal immigrants
While some immigrants in Nebraska were exempt from the federal changes, nearly all non-citizen categories saw reduced participation between January and April 2026.
Cuban-Haitian entrants, who remained eligible, experienced a 40% reduction in participation, equating to about 950 individuals losing benefits. Similarly, lawful permanent residents, or “green card” holders, though generally eligible, saw around 400 individuals no longer enrolled by April.
Eric Savaiano, a food access specialist with Nebraska Appleseed, attributes these declines to a “chilling effect.” He stated, “There’s significant fear being manufactured by the state and federal government against immigrants and refugees. People on these public benefit programs are turning away from them because they just don’t want to be a part of a government system – even though they might need it to feed themselves and their families.”
Savaiano noted that U.S. citizens also face stricter work and income requirements. “Congress really pushed the idea of waste and fraud and abuse, and what they’ve actually accomplished, though, is just kicking more families, U.S. citizens and individuals off of the program – which may have been their goal all along,” he said.
Before the changes, immigrants accounted for about 8% of Nebraska’s total SNAP cases. Approximately 14,000 U.S. citizens lost benefits compared to 4,600 immigrants and refugees.
For those still receiving benefits, Savaiano highlighted the ongoing challenges posed by low wages and high living costs. “There are not enough food pantries to help people get the food that they were getting from SNAP, and so we’re seeing more people skip meals. We’re hearing about people having to make choices between food and medicine and housing and things like that,” he explained.
Despite these challenges, Nebraska Appleseed continues to encourage eligible individuals to apply for necessary benefits.
