Last week the Trump administration announced plans to increase enforcement of a 22-year-old law withdrawing food stamps from certain adults who are not working The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. However, according to state data Georgia is ahead of Washington. The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services and Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) increased the number of people removed from the program because of the work required in 2018. Between October 2017 through March 2018, Georgia removed an average of 356 people a month from food stamps. Then April through October of this year, the average increased 20-fold — to nearly 8,000 a month according to the newspaper.

Miraco Belcher worked various warehouse jobs until he was injured in a car accident, fracturing his spine. Since the accident, said he suffers seizures, especially around bright or flashing lights, making it difficult for him to find employment.

The 25-year-old Covington, GA resident applied for disability payments through Social Security, but the process for those benefits to be rendered can take years. In August, it was determined he was “able-bodied” and unemployed, so the state removed him from the SNAP program. “I’ve been without stamps for two months now. It hurts,” he said in an interview in October. “I can’t work and I can’t come up with money for groceries.”

“If I could work, I wouldn’t need those stamps,” he said. “I just don’t really understand it.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Belcher was able to get his primary care physician to vouch for him while he awaits the final disability decision.

Atlanta lawyer David Deganian representing Belcher in his claim said, “I’m not sure what the clients are supposed to do when they get these letters (from DFCS). Most doctors don’t want to do that unless they have a chronological (record of) treatment.”