ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Jayapal warns of rising child poverty as SNAP funds withheld
She raised alarm over the tripling of U.S. child poverty since 2021, blaming the rollback of pandemic-era aid and delays in SNAP funding under the Trump administration.
-
1759163132.png)
Anushka Pathak - Fri, 31, Oct 2025
- 15:07 EDT
- 18
Rep. Pramila Jayapal / Courtesy: @RepJayapal via ‘X’
Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal voiced concern on Oct. 31 over the sharp rise in child poverty across the United States, which has nearly tripled since 2021, affecting one in eight children.
Against this backdrop, she criticized the Trump administration for withholding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds, warning that the move could worsen hunger among vulnerable families.
In a video shared on X, Jayapal referenced a report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation that documented a national increase in child poverty from 5 percent in 2021 to 13 percent in 2024. “Childhood poverty has tripled since 2021,” she said. “That means that one in eight kids in America lives in poverty in 2024.”
Also Read: Subramanyam launches probe into Trump's Truth Social, X messages
Child poverty has tripled since 2021. In America, a shocking 1 in 8 children live in poverty.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) October 31, 2025
And as Trump withholds SNAP funding, even more kids will go hungry.
It does not have to be this way. pic.twitter.com/QADhbnvQ2k
Jayapal noted that the majority of affected children live in working households, underscoring that low wages—not unemployment—are the driving factor.
“It’s not that people are not working; they’re working, but they’re not earning enough,” she stated. “They’re working, but that’s actually not sufficient to meet their family’s needs.”
She attributed the rise to the expiration of pandemic-era policies such as the expanded child tax credit, which she said had temporarily halved child poverty.
“We’ve seen it triple because Republicans wouldn’t continue those pandemic-era policies,” Jayapal said. She also criticized the federal poverty line, currently set at $31,812 for a family of four, as outdated and unrealistic given current living costs.
In Seattle—the city she represents—she added, a family requires around $95,000 annually to cover basic needs.
Amid reports that the Trump administration delayed SNAP disbursements during a funding standoff, Jayapal warned that more children could face food insecurity. “As Trump withholds SNAP funding, even more kids will go hungry,” she wrote. “It does not have to be this way.”
So, child poverty tripled from 2021 to 2024?
— James Mixter (@MixterJames) October 31, 2025
Isn't that - something.
Whose administration was that again?
Framing the issue as a matter of political will, Jayapal pointed out that economic inequality continues to widen, with the top 10 percent controlling 60 percent of national wealth while the bottom half holds only 6 percent. “We can make different policy choices,” she said, calling for reforms to strengthen family support and reduce inequality.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login