What does the “One Big Beautiful Bill” mean for immigrants?  

By Dina Malual

H.R.1 (also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” or the Budget Reconciliation Bill) is the federal legislation that made many cuts to food assistance and healthcare. It also specifically limits immigrant eligibility for many federal public benefit programs, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, which Maine calls MaineCare. People seeking asylum, mixed-status families, and humanitarian applicants (including refugees, asylees, and certain survivors of violence) will see some of the biggest changes in eligibility restrictions. 

President Donald Trump signed H.R.1 into law on July 4, 2025, but the changes to who can receive public benefits will happen in phases over the next few years. Because of this, people with certain immigration statuses will not lose eligibility for programs all at once. However, the changes are likely to impact many of the same individuals and families multiple times.

Below is a summary of key changes that will happen in the next few months. These will impact eligibility for SNAP (food stamps), the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace, and tax credits.

SNAP (food stamps)

Which noncitizens can still get SNAP after the changes go into effect? 

Federal eligibility for SNAP is now limited to immigrants who are either:

• Lawful Permanent Resident (LPRs) of the U.S. not subject to the five-year bar, 
• Cuban and Haitian Entrants, or
• Residents of Compact and Free Association nations (COFA migrants)

When do the changes take effect?

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Changes to SNAP eligibility for immigrants are expected to take effect soon, but there is some uncertainty about the exact timing. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) had not implemented these changes as of press time because the federal government was delayed in providing guidance for how states should make the changes. 

Are there any exceptions?

Some immigrants in Maine who will not be eligible for federal SNAP due to their immigration status can still get state-funded SNAP benefits if they meet a hardship, such as waiting for work authorization or unemployment. 

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace (healthcare)

How will ACA Marketplace subsidies change?

Before the passage of H.R.1, many lawfully present immigrants could enroll in health insurance through the Marketplace (CoverME.gov in Maine) and get subsidies to lower the cost of their healthcare coverage.

H.R.1 eliminates these subsidies for 2026 and beyond for immigrants with incomes under 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) who are not eligible for Medicaid (MaineCare) due to their immigration status. 

People who fall into this category will no longer be able to buy subsidized Marketplace health insurance coverage. Without the subsidies, most people at this income level won’t be able to afford health insurance and may have no other options for health coverage. 

However, in Maine all children under 21 and people who are pregnant or postpartum with low-income are eligible for MaineCare, regardless of their immigration status. Free Care or hospital charity care is also available to everyone under 200 percent FPL to help people pay for their hospital bills and access necessary care. No one can be turned away from emergency services – even if they don’t have insurance and even if they can’t pay.

If you need help applying for health insurance or accessing Free Care, call Consumers for Affordable Health Care’s (CAHC) Helpline at (800) 956-7476.

Tax credit changes

H.R.1 increases taxes on immigrants and makes it harder for them to receive the Child Tax Credit (CTC), a tax break for qualifying families with children. Prior to the passage of H.R.1, parents could file their taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to qualify for the credit. Now, eligibility requires a valid Social Security Number (SSN) for the child and for at least one parent to claim the CTC on your taxes this year.

Roughly 2 million children will lose eligibility for the CTC due to H.R.1.

To summarize:

• SNAP noncitizen eligibility guidance has yet to be issued, so the timing of cuts is uncertain.
• ACA Marketplace subsidies for some immigrants have been eliminated. 
• Immigrant eligibility changes to MaineCare are coming in late 2026, but have not gone into effect yet.
• More limited, state-funded benefits still exist for many immigrant Mainers. For example, all income-eligible kids under 21 and people who are pregnant or postpartum can get MaineCare, regardless of their immigration status. 

Unfortunately, many changes from H.R.1 remove access to food and healthcare for different immigrant groups. While we wait for more information from the federal government, we will continue to monitor changes and share key dates. 

You may still apply for benefits (e.g. SNAP, MaineCare) if you are in need and believe you are eligible. If you asked for help from one of these programs and DHHS said you’re not eligible, you can ask for legal advice from Maine Equal Justice. Call Maine Equal Justice at (207) 626-7058 and leave a message, or contact us through our website at www.maineequaljustice.org/contact-us.