SNAP Citizenship and Residency Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9456
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-25: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T21:34:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation aims to restrict eligibility for benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to certain non-citizens, specifically limiting access to those admitted as lawful permanent residents who have lived lawfully in the United States for at least 10 years.
Key Provisions
- The bill adds a new subsection (o) to Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016).
- It states that no individual in an otherwise eligible household may receive SNAP benefits unless they are a lawful permanent resident admitted as an immigrant under sections 101(a)(15) and 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
- The individual must have lawfully resided in the United States for a continuous 10-year period starting from the date of admission.
- This rule applies "notwithstanding any other provision of law," overriding prior eligibility rules.
- The short title is the "SNAP Citizenship and Residency Act of 2026."
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Current law under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 generally bars most non-citizens from SNAP, with limited exceptions for certain qualified aliens after a 5-year waiting period or other categories.
- This bill replaces those rules with a stricter, uniform 10-year residency requirement exclusively for lawful permanent residents.
- It eliminates eligibility for other categories of non-citizens who may currently qualify, such as refugees, asylees, or certain veterans' family members.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers SNAP, would need to update eligibility verification systems, training for state agencies, and benefit calculations to enforce the 10-year residency check.
- Citizens and residents: Recent lawful permanent residents and their U.S.-citizen household members could lose access to food assistance, potentially increasing food insecurity among low-income immigrant families.
- International relations: The measure could affect perceptions of U.S. immigration policy by tightening benefits for legal immigrants, though it does not directly alter visa or admission processes.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders) seeking SNAP benefits.
- State and local SNAP administering agencies.
- U.S. citizen household members living with non-citizen applicants.
- Immigrant advocacy organizations and food banks serving immigrant communities.
- The USDA and Congress.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The "notwithstanding" clause creates a broad override of existing statutes, which may lead to legal challenges regarding consistency with prior immigration and welfare laws.
- It raises questions about equal protection under the Fifth Amendment for non-citizens, though courts have generally upheld restrictions on alien eligibility for public benefits.
- Politically, the bill aligns with efforts to prioritize benefits for long-term residents and citizens while potentially increasing administrative burdens on states.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-25: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2026-06-25: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-25: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- SNAP Citizenship and Residency Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-25 — PDF (2 pages)