The share of Oklahomans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, better known as “food stamps”) has often exceeded the share of Oklahomans living in poverty in recent years, at times by a sizable amount, leading to concerns that fraud may be a growing problem.
But in the last year Oklahoma has begun aggressively paring down those numbers.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oklahoma’s SNAP rolls declined by 14 percent from February 2025 to February 2026. That means roughly 97,000 fewer people are reliant on welfare today.
In contrast, the national figure declined just 10 percent during that time.
Fewer people relying on welfare is a positive thing. It means more individuals are leaving behind government dependency and becoming self-reliant.
It also means the likelihood of fraud is falling in Oklahoma.
A Sept. 26, 2024, report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported most states made improper payments related to SNAP “mainly because they did not verify recipients’ eligibility for program benefits.”
The report noted that states failed to determine if recipients are U.S. citizens or lawfully present immigrants, and also failed to confirm recipients’ employment status, finances and household size, among other things.
Many on the political left dismiss the idea that people will exploit welfare programs for monetary gain. Numerous law-enforcement investigations have proven otherwise.
Nationally, individuals have been caught selling their benefit cards on the black market, receiving perhaps $1 to $2 in cash for every $4 in benefits sold.
In May 2025, federal officials filed charges against six individuals accused of $66 million in unauthorized food-stamp transactions.
Notably, the Government Accountability Office report estimated that 10.64 percent of SNAP payments in Oklahoma went to unqualified individuals in 2023. That translates into a sizable amount of cash being misspent.
Further, under the federal “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” Oklahoma could be responsible for covering a greater share of food stamp benefits based on the state’s payment-error rate starting in FY 2028.
The Foundation for Government Accountability estimates Oklahoma could face federal penalties of nearly $226 million annually if it does not bring its error rate under control.
It appears state officials are taking that challenge seriously. Liberal groups may wail in response to the decline in SNAP enrollment, objecting to the idea that anyone should ever be denied taxpayer-funded subsidies, including immigrants who are supposed to be self-sufficient as a condition of entering this country.
But the hard-working Oklahomans who foot the bill, paying for their own meals and health care out of pocket while also paying the taxes that support welfare beneficiaries, will view the latest SNAP trends with a sigh of relief.
Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.