AZ Center

Arizona sees largest decline in SNAP enrollment in country

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - More than 400,000 Arizonans have lost access to SNAP since last July, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Arizona is experiencing the largest decline in program enrollment in the country.

The decline followed the implementation of H.R. 1, also known as the Big Beautiful Bill, which went into effect in July. The legislation changed the funding structure for SNAP, expanded work requirements for recipients, and reduced eligibility for non-citizens.

Statewide and federal factors contribute to decline

Joseph Palomino with the Arizona Center for Economic Progress said the problem has been exacerbated by Arizona’s Department of Economic Security’s facing resource constraints.

“You have all this additional bureaucratic requirements, and then you have this terrible incentive for states to reduce their payment error rates or face a pretty significant cost shift,” Palomino said.

Over 450K Arizonans have been removed from SNAP program since July, including 196K kids

Arizona has now dropped more than 450,000 people from the SNAP program since federal changes went into effect last July. That includes 196,000 children no longer receiving benefits.

“SNAP is one of the most effective tools we have to help families put food on the table and keep local economies moving,” director Joseph Palomino said in a statement. “When hundreds of thousands of people lose that support, the consequences don’t stop at the dinner table — they ripple through our economy, our communities, and our future workforce.”

Arizona's food stamp program sees largest decline in US. Here's why

SNAP supporters said the state should proceed carefully to avoid kicking out people who truly need the help, and that overpayments seen in SNAP error rates don't necessarily mean someone is trying to game the system.

Take gig workers, said Joseph Palomino, executive director of the liberal-leaning Arizona Center for Economic Progress. A rideshare driver might earn money by working many hours one week, but not make the same amount the next week, a scenario that would impact SNAP eligibility, he said.

"I think we have to understand SNAP is a complex program that is meant to be so, and it's also meant to be flexible," he said.

Arizona leads nation in SNAP benefit losses, 400K affected

Advocates warn the impact could go beyond just families struggling right now. Joseph Palomino, director of the Arizona Center of Economic Progress, said the cuts are affecting more than just individual households.

"People being kicked off of SNAP, they're hurting those families. We're also hurting our economy and that is kind of what is lost, we are essentially shooting ourselves in the foot here," Palomino said.

'The Alarm Bell': Arizona’s Drop in SNAP Participation Signals Potential Nationwide Impact of Trump Legislation

“Arizona is just the alarm bell,” said Joseph Palomino, executive director of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, a nonpartisan advocacy organization. “This is likely going to happen in every state.”

Arizona lawmakers move to bar migrants from using banks, shipping money

Joseph Palomino, director of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, questioned the financial impact of what Rogers seeks. 

His organization bills itself as supporting fairer tax codes to put more money into education, affordable housing and health care.

Palomino questioned whether any of what Rogers is trying to enact is illegal, predicting it is preempted by federal law and would be overturned. But that is just part of the problem, he said.

"This is just economically disadvantageous,'' he told the House Commerce Committee when it debated and approved the bill. All efforts to try to remove migrants from the state and the country are just harming the economy, he said.

Arizona numbers show massive decline in SNAP enrollment

SNAP enrollment has fallen dramatically in Arizona in just three months, according to the latest state numbers.

About 533,000 people received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in January, a 31% decline from October, according to the Department of Economic Security.

Arizona school funding, teacher shortage crisis brings calls to renew Prop 123

Arizona spends less on education than nearly every other state, and Valley schools are struggling to stay afloat.

“We are at the bottom because we’re not investing in schools how the rest of the nation is,” said Geraldine Miranda, assistant director of fiscal policy at the Arizona Center for Economic Progress.

“If Prop 123 were to be expanded, it could free up more budget funds, general fund dollars, that could also go toward schools,” said Miranda.

Arizona lawmakers debate tax breaks ahead of filing deadline

AZCenter director Joseph Palomino discusses the Arizona Legislature's tax conformity bill. Lawmakers have yet to decide on tax breaks, meaning some people may hold off on filing returns until the deadline.

Wave of Tax Cuts Has Left Many States Vulnerable to Trump SNAP and Medicaid Crisis

Instead, to help pay for their tax cuts, many states have already raided their various cash funds. “We’ve sort of maxed out on gimmicks,” said Geraldine Miranda, assistant director of fiscal policy at the Arizona Center for Economic Progress. “There’s nothing left in the couch cushions.”

¿Aumenta el costo de vivienda debido a la inmigración?

"Mass deportation is going to ultimately result in job loses for everyone in the US" - Joseph Palomino 

Arizona ranks 20th among states vulnerable to federal control

Arizona is the 20th most dependent state that relies on the federal government, according to a new report. ... The Arizona Center for Economic Progress said in fiscal year 2025, 45% of the state’s revenue came from federal funds.