A recent social media post sparked significant uproar by promoting misleading information about immigrant communities and their use of food assistance. The tweet in question claimed alarming percentages of various immigrant groups receiving SNAP benefits, suggesting they were “leeching” off the system. However, this assertion lacks critical context and distorts the reality of who participates in the program.
The figures cited in the post were derived from a legitimate dataset from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. Yet, experts warn that the chart’s representation is deceptive. Rather than indicating actual participation rates in SNAP, the chart presents ancestry data misinterpreted as current citizenship or benefit use. This has led to false conclusions among viewers.
The problematic chart first appeared as part of a blog post by the Personal Finance Wizards in June 2025, which included a caution that they could not guarantee the data’s accuracy. Despite this disclaimer, the post gained over 3 million views when widely shared on social media by late October, reflecting how easily misinformation can spread.
Independent analysis reveals a more accurate picture. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, over 89% of SNAP recipients in 2023 were U.S. citizens, while merely 4.4% were noncitizens, including just 1.1% classified as refugees. Data indicates that white Americans were the predominant demographic benefiting from SNAP, comprising 35.4% of participants.
As Joseph Llobrera, director of research at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, points out, “Without context, this graphic is misleading and may lead some to conclude that many non-citizens are participating in SNAP, which is not true.” Tracy Roof, a political science professor, reinforces this by noting that noncitizens represent a “tiny share” of both households and the overall spending within SNAP.
The timing of the viral post is particularly concerning, coinciding with a looming funding cutoff for SNAP. Set to begin November 1 due to a federal government shutdown, this situation exacerbates an ongoing public debate about immigration and welfare. Such misleading information could impact public perception and policy decisions during this critical period.
The data from the ACS Table S0201 mentioned in the post measures households self-identifying with specific ancestries and receiving food assistance. This methodology does not account for factors like current citizenship, legal status, or the relative size of these communities in the broader population. For instance, while the chart states that 45.6% of Afghan-identified households accessed SNAP in 2024, it does not indicate that the majority of Afghan families in the U.S. benefit from the program.
Moreover, the ACS data relies on self-reporting, making it susceptible to inaccuracies. Clearer participation details come from USDA administrative records indicating that about 42 million people used SNAP monthly in FY2023, costing approximately $119.6 billion. Of this sum, around $5.7 billion—that is, just 4.8%—went to noncitizens, whose average monthly benefit was reported at $187.
Experts like David J. Bier from the Cato Institute highlight that non-citizens accounted for roughly 4% of SNAP recipients in 2022, while making up about 6.5% of the U.S. population. Even more telling, Bier noted that “non-citizens consume less welfare per capita than native-born Americans,” stressing that they are significantly less costly to SNAP than their native counterparts.
Additionally, many immigrants, particularly those who are undocumented, cannot access SNAP directly. Permanent residents often face five-year waiting periods for benefits unless they fit certain criteria that allow for exemptions. Unauthorized immigrants are outright barred from receiving assistance, though some may live in mixed-status households where U.S.-born children are eligible for benefits.
As discussions surrounding SNAP funding grow more urgent, the facts of the situation become even more vital. Reports indicate that non-citizens make up a small portion of SNAP participants and receive relatively limited support compared to their population share. Julia Gelatt of the Migration Policy Institute confirmed that evidence supports the fact that noncitizens use SNAP at lower rates than their citizen counterparts. Matthew Dickerson from the Economic Policy Innovation Center remarked on the common perception that taxpayers are funding welfare for non-citizens, even though Gelatt clarified that unauthorized immigrants do not receive SNAP benefits.
The misleading focus of the viral post on certain refugee groups has drawn criticism for unfairly targeting individuals who have fled hardship and violence. These populations legally enter the U.S. under protections that often require access to public aid during their resettlement process.
Roof emphasized the reality: “The overwhelming majority of recipients of SNAP are people born in the U.S., and many are in families with children or are elderly or disabled.” She underscored that most participants who are able to work do so, calling attention to how focusing on specific, small ethnic subgroups misrepresents the program’s structure and the people it serves.
Ultimately, policy discussions should be rooted in verified, government-sourced data rather than sensationalized, opinion-driven graphics. As the federal government grapples with ongoing budget challenges, SNAP recipients—nearly half of whom are children—face uncertainty regarding their access to food. Distributing misleading narratives about who qualifies for assistance diverts focus from the real aim of the program: alleviating hunger among those in need, regardless of their background.
As another potential lapse in food aid looms, the need for clear and factual discourse is critical. While the debate over immigrants and welfare continues to gain traction, the abiding truth remains: the vast majority of SNAP recipients are U.S. citizens, and lawful noncitizens engage with the program at rates comparable to their American neighbors.
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