ICE Launches Nationwide SNAP Fraud Crackdown
DHS described the arrests as the “opening salvo” of what it said would be a sustained, large-scale ICE operation.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a nationwide crackdown on individuals living in the country illegally who allegedly fraudulently obtained Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as part of the Trump administration's broader scrutiny of federal food assistance programs. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the arrests as the "opening salvo" of a sustained, large-scale operation, targeting Cuban national Elizabeth Povea Rodriguez and Haitian nationals Rubstony Junior Theodore, Wilbert Jean Baptiste, Louis Jean, and Jhensly Charles.
These individuals had previously been convicted of various crimes and were found to have unlawfully accessed SNAP benefits. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin emphasized that illegal aliens should not be using SNAP benefits or other forms of welfare, stating that these programs are for Americans only. The announcement coincided with a nationwide crackdown by the Justice Department, the Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Inspector General, targeting over 40 defendants whose alleged or proven schemes accounted for nearly $45 million in intended federal losses, with nearly $42 million involving SNAP benefits.
Brief written by urgent.news from Newsweek's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
