COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than 4,000 refugees and legal immigrants in Franklin County are expected to lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting in November due to new federal restrictions approved under President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” county officials announced this week.
The changes will limit SNAP eligibility primarily to U.S. citizens and green card holders who have completed a five-year residency period. While certain Haitian and Cuban refugees will be exempt, most other legal immigrants — including asylum seekers, parolees, domestic violence survivors, and human trafficking victims — will lose benefits.
County leaders held a press event Tuesday alongside affected families and local aid organizations to highlight the impact of the cuts. Franklin County Deputy Administrator Joy Bivens said the change could strip food assistance from more than 1,000 children and roughly 400 Afghan and Iraqi refugees who aided U.S. troops during past Middle East conflicts.
“SNAP is the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, providing vital food assistance to nearly 42 million American households,” Bivens said. “It’s one of our most successful anti-poverty programs, helping millions of families stay above the poverty line.”
Bivens added that about 183,000 Franklin County residents currently receive SNAP benefits, most of whom are children and seniors.
Economic and Community Impact
Commissioner John O’Grady noted that immigrants make up only 8.7% of Ohio’s population but contribute nearly 12% of the region’s GDP and generate $2.1 billion in annual tax revenue.
The “Big Beautiful Bill” passed Congress earlier this year with support from nearly all Ohio Republicans, including U.S. Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, and Representatives Mike Carey, Dave Joyce, Troy Balderson, and Jim Jordan. Only one Ohio Republican, Rep. Warren Davidson, voted against it. No Democrats supported the measure.
