URBANDALE, IA — Some refugees in Iowa say recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are making it harder to keep food on the table, especially for households already living on one income or dealing with health problems. One man who goes by Kamran said the shift has left his family feeling unsettled and forced to make hard choices about what they can buy and eat.
Kamran said he came to Iowa as a refugee and now lives with his wife and six children. Because of health issues, the family relies on a single income. He said that without SNAP, the household sometimes falls back on bread when it cannot afford a fuller meal.
How the federal changes have affected refugees and asylees
Kamran said his status as a refugee now means he can no longer access SNAP benefits, along with many other immigrants, including asylees. He connected that loss to last year’s passage of the federal “Big Beautiful Bill,” which he said changed eligibility rules for people in his situation.
Jody Mashek of the Iowa Migrant Movement Center for Justice said many affected people are being told they need to change their status to permanent residents if they want to keep benefits. That means getting green cards, she said, and some families have already started losing assistance…