Although the longest government shutdown in history is over, has the confusion only just begun?

Millions of people who rely on the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) are bracing for major changes. And it’s now confirmed that with new federal rules and processes, many families will be left to fend for themselves.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins gave viewers a preview of what to expect in the near future. For starters, all SNAP recipients must now reapply for benefits due to alleged fraud. 

“186,000 deceased men and women and children in this country are receiving a check,” said Rollins on Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” The Hill reports.

“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data what we’re going to find?” she continued, explaining that the program will be rebuilt. 

“It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps, that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it,” she said.

According to Politico, during the 43-day shutdown, Rollins also directed USDA staff to continue pushing states to “comply” with the Republicans’ controversial signature tax and spending law—known as The Big Beautiful Bill. The latest changes are also sounding the alarm for recent immigrants and humanitarian visa holders who could lose benefits for good.

The outlet notes that the benefit approval process is even tougher; more red tape and paperwork could block otherwise eligible people from receiving help. It’s estimated that food aid for roughly 250,000 refugees will now be slashed. 

Naomi Steinberg, vice president of the nonprofit HIAS, a Jewish nonprofit that assists refugees and asylum seekers, called the changes cruel. 

“While we are concerned about any person in this country going hungry needlessly, there is something spectacularly cruel about ripping out the safety net of people who came to this country who need just a little bit of time to get back on their feet and to begin to be able to contribute economically to this country,” said Steinberg to Politico.

Many states are still scrambling to decode official rules after the rushed changes from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service.

Between the additional hurdles and updated restrictions, it's clear that many families now face more questions and fewer answers when it comes to essential aid.