KABUL (Pajhwok): The administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed new restrictions on government food assistance that could leave around 6.3 million Americans without benefits.
Reuters reported that the US Department of Agriculture on Tuesday introduced a proposal to tighten eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.
Under the proposal, households receiving assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programme would no longer automatically qualify for food assistance.
Currently, households receiving TANF benefits can qualify for SNAP without having to meet federal income thresholds, the report said.
However, under the proposed changes, nearly 18 per cent of SNAP recipients, or about 6.3 million people, could lose their benefits, according to an analysis by the department.
The US Department of Agriculture said the changes were intended to standardise eligibility requirements and preserve benefits for households most in need of food assistance.
According to the department, more than 5.5 million people have already lost SNAP benefits since President Trump enacted cuts to the programme through his tax legislation in July 2025, bringing the number of beneficiaries down to around 36 million.
The department also estimated that, if the proposal is implemented, around 1.8 million children would lose their eligibility for free school meals.
Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Angie Craig of Minnesota, the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, described the proposed rule as “heartless and cruel” in a statement.
“The proposed rule would make it harder to meet basic needs and roll back efforts to streamline federal programmes,” she said.
According to the report, members of the public and relevant organisations have 30 days to submit comments and recommendations on the proposal.
The proposal comes as millions of low-income families across the United States rely on government assistance to meet their food needs.
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