Press Release: Don’s Destruction: Starting Today, MAGA Strips SNAP Benefits from 120,000 Illinoisans
Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” Leaves Families Hungry
Springfield, IL— In February, the Trump administration rolled out new work requirements for SNAP recipients with enforcement beginning today. The new provisions require that recipients the Administration deems able-bodied must work or volunteer a minimum of 80 hours a month, creating barriers for parents with young children, veterans, and adults aged 55–64 to receive benefits. As a result, the Illinois Department of Human Services projects that 120,000 recipients across the state will lose their ability to put food on the table.
In response, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez said the following:
“SNAP benefits are a lifeline for working families across Illinois, ensuring that no child goes to bed hungry. These new requirements create unnecessary barriers for the very people this program was designed to protect—families, veterans, and seniors. Republicans are punishing families for needing assistance in an economy they’ve made unaffordable and unlivable. Here in Illinois, Democrats are working to make sure our families are fed.”
The State of Illinois is taking steps to protect vulnerable families from losing food assistance including launching a free job training program, helping recipients check to see if they qualify for work exemptions, and assisting recipients with finding volunteer opportunities in their area.
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