85% of Resettled Refugees Face Food Insecurity After Government Support Ends
Kakuma, 9 February 2026
A striking new study reveals that 85% of refugees in the United States experience food insecurity within their first year of resettlement, compared to just 13% of all American households. The research exposes critical gaps when initial government assistance programmes conclude, leaving refugees vulnerable during key transition periods such as starting their first job or renewing benefits. Many struggle with English-language correspondence about their entitlements, causing benefits to lapse unexpectedly. The study highlights how the current system’s expectation of rapid economic self-sufficiency creates predictable food crises, particularly affecting refugees who escape one form of hardship only to encounter another in their supposed safe haven.
When Initial Support Systems Collapse
The 2025 study conducted in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Nasser Sharareh and colleagues in partnership with the International Rescue Committee interviewed 36 refugees about their food access challenges [1]. The research identified four critical transition points where food insecurity spikes: when refugees start their first job, during SNAP benefit renewal processes, when caseworker support ends, and during employment or household expense fluctuations [1]. One study participant captured the employment paradox succinctly: ‘as soon as I started working, but my paycheck was not enough yet for rent and food’ [1]. This highlights how employment—theoretically a step towards self-sufficiency—can initially worsen food security when wages cannot immediately cover basic living costs.
Language Barriers Create Benefit Gaps
Communication failures represent a significant vulnerability in the current system. Several refugees in the study ‘received letters in English and did not know what to do, so benefits stopped’ [1]. This language barrier creates administrative gaps that can leave families without food assistance through no fault of their own. The situation becomes particularly acute when caseworker support terminates, leaving refugees ‘alone after six months, with no one to ask’ [1]. These findings underscore how the system’s reliance on short-term benefits and limited caseworker support stems from an expectation of rapid economic self-sufficiency that often proves unrealistic [1].
Health Consequences of Food Insecurity
Food insecurity among refugees extends far beyond immediate hunger, creating cascading health problems including hypertension and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression [1]. These health complications can further impede refugees’ ability to achieve economic stability, creating a cycle where poor nutrition undermines employment prospects and earning capacity. The contrast between refugee food insecurity rates and the general population—85% versus 13% of all US households—demonstrates the severity of this crisis [1]. Meanwhile, the United States wastes between 30% and 40% of its food supply, highlighting the irony of scarcity amidst abundance [1].
Practical Solutions and Support Pathways
Refugees interviewed in the study proposed concrete solutions including extended SNAP eligibility periods, sustained case management beyond the initial six-month period, accessible language services for benefit communications, and community garden programmes [1]. These recommendations address both immediate food access needs and longer-term integration challenges. Currently, refugees are eligible for aid from the Office of Refugee Resettlement and SNAP benefits, but face obstacles including high living costs and language barriers that can interrupt their access to these programmes [1]. The research emphasises that addressing these systemic gaps requires policy changes that acknowledge the realistic timeline for refugee economic integration rather than expecting immediate self-sufficiency.