FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Courtney Shojinaga, courtney@nourishca.org, 213-204-3614
New Research Confirms that Food Insecurity and Fear Grows in California as Communities Face Federal Cuts
OAKLAND, CA – Californians are seeing the largest cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP), also known as CalFresh, in the history of the program’s existence. This is due to the passage of H.R. 1, also known as the Trump Administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”. These cuts impact both the physical and mental health of communities, as Nourish California’s new report Listening into Action: Community Conversations Across California reveals.
SNAP is one of the most powerful anti-hunger programs in our nation, yet the federal government has chosen to cut a critical safety net for hundreds of thousands of individuals. In California alone, 665,000 individuals subject to strict work requirements will be disenrolled from CalFresh and 34,000 survivors of trafficking, trauma and other humanitarian immigrants will lose eligibility. Nourish California hosted multiple regional and statewide community convenings to engage directly with individuals impacted by food insecurity and reveal the impact that H.R. 1 cuts and other federal actions are having on different communities.
A critical finding is that Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) targeted violence is causing a chilling effect in a variety of ways. There has been a significant decrease in use of public benefit services, even for programs where immigration status doesn’t impact eligibility. This corroborates existing data that shows declines in SNAP and Medicaid participation for immigrant households, particularly immigrant families with children. The share of immigrant adults who said they avoided applying for a government program that helps pay for food, housing, or health care in the past 12 months because they did not want to draw attention to their or a family member’s immigration status rose from 8% to 12% between 2023 and 2026. Individuals are afraid of how applications or use of assistance will impact their public charge status or affect their families’ immigration status. Additionally, they are wary of how their data when applying to these benefits could be used.
“We’re being terrorized… so it’s sad that some people don’t want to access benefits,” shared a participant from a Nourish California community convening.
With less trust in public benefit programs, there is a substantial increase in food pantry and food bank use. The chilling effect is even present in daily decisions on how to get the food they need. Individuals have to weigh the risk of going to a grocery store or food bank, which could mean facing the threat of immigration enforcement, regardless of actual immigration status.
One participant shared, “Las tiendas de comida están solas, y las personas que vamos estamos viendo por todos lados su ahi peligro. Nos sentimos acosados por lo que estamos viviendo.” [English translation: Grocery stores are more empty, and those that do go are constantly checking our surroundings for danger. We feel terrorized by what we’re living through.]
The complete “Listening into Action: Community Conversations Across California” report can be found on Nourish California’s website.
Michelle Lee, Nourish California
“We can create a California where everyone has access to the food they need and want if we listen to the community. We heard through our community convenings that Californians are making hard choices to get the food they need, and want to see long-term policy changes that would make food more affordable and accessible. Policies, structures, and solutions are strongest when they are shaped and informed by the people they intend to serve. We urge the existing legislature and next governor to lead our state by working both with and for their constituents.”
Karina Apodaca, Community CalFresh Outreach Coordinator at CSU Chico Center for Healthy Communities
“Being healthy is a privilege of the rich.”
Cindy Santana, Lead Community Organizer, Innovate Public Schools
“When families are given a safe and welcoming space to share their experiences, they leave feeling heard, valued, and hopeful. Every Kid Every Day demonstrates that meaningful community engagement is not just about gathering information—it is about building trust and creating solutions alongside the families most affected.”
Erika Hawkyard, Director of Programs at The Source LGBT+ Center
“The Central Valley is too often overlooked in statewide policy decisions, leaving our communities disproportionately impacted by federal cuts to critical safety net programs. As families are forced to choose between food, housing, utilities, and healthcare, LGBTQ+ people—especially transgender people, youth, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ people of color—face additional barriers driven by discrimination and limited access to affirming services. In a region already experiencing significant health and economic disparities, these policies deepen inequities. This report reinforces what our communities already know: policies must be shaped by the lived experiences of those most impacted, ensuring that rural, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ communities are not left behind in California’s efforts to build healthier, more equitable communities.”
Joaquin Castillejos, Lead Organizer at Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice
“Communities in the Inland Empire have long been impacted by environmental health hazards, natural disasters, and climate change when accessing food and safe drinking water. At the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, we collaborate with communities to stand against developments and industry-friendly policies that threaten community wellbeing. Decisions that impact the Inland Empire must be made with meaningful community input along with consideration of long-term environmental consequences.”
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Founded in 1992 and operating for over a quarter century as California Food Policy Advocates, Nourish California is a nonpartisan, statewide 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We engage in policy advocacy and research at the local, regional, and state levels in California and at the federal level. When our small team isn’t out meeting with communities, partners, and policymakers, we can be found in our offices in Oakland, Los Angeles (virtual), and San Diego (virtual).
