The U.S. Senate has voted 51–50 to advance what President Trump calls the “Big Beautiful Bill.” But here in Detroit, where nearly half of residents rely on Medicaid and hundreds of thousands depend on SNAP to afford groceries, there’s another name being used: the “Big Ugly Bill.”
This legislation, if passed by the House, would gut critical federal programs that provide food and health care to working-class families, especially in Michigan’s majority-Black communities. Medicaid and SNAP, long-standing programs that support the daily survival of children, elders, veterans, and working parents, are now on the chopping block in exchange for a $4.5 trillion tax cut package that favors the wealthy and large corporations.
Wayne County Commission Chair Alisha Bell is among the many Detroit-area leaders raising concern.
“So the bill that is in the Congress right now, passed by the Senate and now in the House of Representatives, is called the Big Beautiful Bill,” Bell said. “But I care to differ from that—it’s the Big Ugly Bill because of what it does to families across the country, but specifically here in Michigan and in Wayne County.”
Bell points directly to the programs at risk. “It’s gonna affect those persons on Medicaid, it’s gonna affect those persons who have SNAP and food stamp benefits. And I think that is absolutely unconscionable—to harm the least of these,” she said. “The people who are on these services are the least of these who need those services. And to remove them—they’re not gonna know where their medical care is gonna come from. Some of them may not know where their food is gonna come from. So it’s going to negatively impact so many people in Wayne County and in Michigan.”
Medicaid currently covers between 2.3 to 2.6 million Michiganders. In Detroit alone, 45.6% of residents are enrolled in the program. It covers 65.9% of Black births in the state and supports working families, disabled residents, and seniors alike. More than 70% of adults on Medicaid in Michigan are employed—many in jobs that do not provide private insurance.
At the same time, SNAP supports over 1.3 million Michiganders with basic food assistance. In Wayne County, more than 434,000 people received SNAP benefits in 2022. The average monthly benefit in Michigan was $173 per person or $325 per household—amounts that may be modest but often mean the difference between skipping meals or not.
“At COTS, we work with families who are navigating generational poverty, housing instability, and systemic barriers every day,” shared Anthony Eid Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for COTS. “For our participants, Medicaid and SNAP are not just benefits — they are a lifeline. Cuts to these programs, like those proposed in Trump’s “Big, Beautiful, Bills,” will have devastating consequences for families already on the margins.”
Under the proposed legislation, both programs would face deep cuts. The Congressional Budget Office projects that 11.8 million Americans could lose Medicaid coverage over the next decade. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has warned that the cuts to SNAP would create a $467 million shortfall in Michigan’s food assistance budget. That gap will hit cities like Detroit first, where need is highest and grocery access is already limited.
Danielle Atkinson, Executive Director of Mothering Justice, calls the bill what it is: a betrayal.
“While Republicans prioritize tax breaks for billionaires, they’re simultaneously stripping away basic healthcare and support systems from those who need them most,” Atkinson said. “Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ should actually be called the ‘Big Betrayal Bill’—because if it’s passed into law, the wealth gap in this country will widen to astronomical levels. Mothers of color and working families across the country did not elect their representatives to protect the ultra-wealthy. The GOP made one thing clear: if they are left in charge, working-class families will always come last.”
The harm doesn’t stop at the individual level. Chairwoman Bell warned that the financial impact will shift from federal budgets to already-strained county governments.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the costs that are gonna be cut—a lot of programs that are gonna be cut—are going to have to be taken up by counties and cities,” Bell said. “That’s gonna impact our budgets. When the federal government is no longer taking care of people, that will fall down to the county level. So we don’t know what the impact is going to be yet, but I suspect it would be very negatively impactful for our budget as we try to provide that gap for those persons who may not have their Medicaid coverage or their SNAP program.”
It’s important to understand who’s being asked to carry this burden. These are working mothers, essential workers, children, the elderly, and those already living below the poverty line. Two-thirds of SNAP recipients in Michigan are also on Medicaid. Nearly 60% of SNAP households include children, and another 39% support seniors or people with disabilities.
“We serve many families who are doing everything they can to build stability for their children,” said Eid. “These families often rely on Medicaid to access critical services like mental health care, prenatal and pediatric care, and preventive screenings. SNAP helps ensure that children go to school nourished and ready to learn. Stripping away these supports only increases the risk of homelessness, worsens health outcomes, and undermines a family’s ability to achieve self-sufficiency.”
The bill, which includes a $350 billion allocation for border enforcement and raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, prioritizes tax relief for the wealthy over the daily survival of the people who are keeping this country moving. All 47 Senate Democrats voted against it. Three Republicans—Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Thom Tillis—also opposed it. Yet the bill passed with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
This supercedes much further than numbers. It’s about the everyday realities Detroiters will face if these cuts go through. Fewer children getting their yearly checkups. More emergency room visits that could have been prevented. Parents forced to skip meals so their kids can eat. Seniors rationing medications to make ends meet.
Chairwoman Bell issued a call to action to the people of Wayne County. “Where I’m sitting, we have to act. I’m glad that the majority of our Congress people from Wayne County are in opposition to the bill,” she said. “But for those who are considering voting for it, I would have them listen to their constituents. I would have the residents of Wayne County reach out to those members in Congress who are considering voting for that bill—and tell them how it will affect them directly. I think sometimes the elected officials need to hear personal stories on how not having these services is going to really impact their lives. And if they heard those personal stories, they would be apt not to vote for this bill—and to really take care of the people they represent in their community.”
The House will vote next. That decision will determine whether hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents continue receiving basic medical care and food support—or whether they’re left to figure it out on their own.
And while national headlines focus on political wins and losses, here in Detroit, the question is simple: who’s looking out for the people?
This bill isn’t just about dollars. It’s about values. It’s about whether our leaders believe poor and working-class families deserve to live with dignity. And it’s about whether they’re willing to listen—not just to lobbyists and donors—but to the voices of the people they represent.
“Proposals that push work requirements or limit eligibility ignore the reality our families face,” Eid said. “These are not people looking for a way out of work — they are people looking for a way up.”
Detroit has made it clear. These cuts would hurt the most vulnerable, shift the burden onto local governments, and deepen inequality in a city already working to rebuild.
The clock is ticking. The voices of Detroit’s mothers, grandmothers, students, caregivers, veterans, and working people are rising. Congress needs to hear them—loud, clear, and urgently.
Because when families are forced to choose between food and health care, we all lose. And if this bill moves forward unchanged, the harm won’t be abstract. It’ll be felt on every block in Wayne County, and every household already stretched to its limit.
Eid ended with, “Instead of punishing poverty, we need policies that invest in people. That means protecting and expanding access to Medicaid and SNAP, not gutting them.”
This moment demands more than quiet concern. It demands a response rooted in care, justice, and truth.
Detroit deserves better. And it’s time for Congress to prove they understand what’s truly at stake.
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