Starting this week, Wisconsin will enforce the Trump administration's eligibility rules for FoodShare and Medicaid. 

FoodShare, or SNAP, is federally funded and has been providing food supply assistance to communities in Wisconsin. The “big beautiful” bill will restrict government funding for these services to U.S. citizens only. This will exclude all non-citizens, including refugees and immigrants, from eligibility for assistance. Medicaid eligibility will be cut in Wisconsin starting October 1st.

The cuts in FoodShare and Medicaid will be detrimental to our Wisconsin communities. Immigrants and refugees are already experiencing poverty at higher rates in our country and state, and the implementation of these new restrictions will only add to the strain in their lives. This new rule will affect over 7,000 people in Wisconsin. The cuts in resources will ripple into all aspects of our communities. 

The freeze on green cards will further compound this struggle, because without the ability to apply for and be granted a green card, citizens who previously would have been eligible for benefits are restricted even further. 

It is time to call to action and help our communities in need: people need food and healthcare to survive. It is important to be aware of the resources in your community and to advocate for people whose benefits have been cut. 

For more information, visit Wisconsin Watch