The U.S. Agriculture Administration (USDA) will require all beneficiaries of the SNAP voucher program to reapply for benefits. This was announced by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. This decision could affect more than 40 million people who rely on this program each month. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been a vital safety net for low-income families for decades. However, the new administration maintains that there are serious control problems. “Business as usual is over. The status quo no longer exists,” Rollins declared in an interview on the program “Mornings with Maria.” Since February, Rollins has ordered states to share data on beneficiaries to detect irregularities. So far, only 29 states, most with Republican administrations, have complied. Preliminary data already reveals troubling cases: 186,000 deceased individuals received benefits, and 500,000 received SNAP in more than one state. The USDA has identified more than 226,000 fraudulent claims and 691,000 approved irregular transactions. These transactions include purchases not authorized by beneficiaries, often caused by card cloning or electronic theft, with losses exceeding $102 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 alone. To put this in perspective, losses in the previous quarter were $69.4 million, and a year earlier, $31.9 million. Rollins also noted that approximately 700,000 people have been removed from the program and some 118 fraud-related arrests have been made. “There are vulnerable families in the United States who need this program and are not receiving it because of fraud and abuse, and now we are going to work to correct that,” he said. The total cost of SNAP under the previous administration reached record figures:$128 billion in 2021 and $127 billion in 2022, including pandemic relief. In 2024, spending was nearly $100 billion, with average benefits of $187 per month per participant. The largest number of beneficiaries are in New Mexico, Washington, D.C., and Louisiana, followed by Oregon. This measure could generate concern among those who depend on SNAP, but it also represents a preventative step. Mandatory re-enrollment will ensure that assistance reaches those who truly need it, reducing fraud and strengthening the program's transparency. Secretary Rollins did not provide further details about this plan, so we invite you to stay tuned to La Opinion's coverage to learn about the deadlines and requirements as soon as they are announced, in order to avoid interruptions in your food assistance. You may also be interested in: