Illegal Aliens Caught Stealing SNAP Benefits, Defrauding the American Taxpayer, Are Just the First Wave of a Large-Scale Anti-Fraud Crackdown

WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun a significant operation targeting illegal aliens who entered the country unlawfully, then exploited the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) meant for American citizens.

"Illegal aliens who have no right to be here in the first place are the last people who should be using SNAP benefits and other forms of welfare," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "These programs are for Americans only. Even non-violent illegal alien crime can still have devastating consequences when they're defrauding the American taxpayer. The illegal alien fraudsters that we've already arrested and deported are just a drop in the bucket, and the Trump Administration is committed to going after all these thieves and bringing them to justice."

Below are recent examples of the illegal aliens who have abused SNAP benefits meant for American citizens and have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Elizabeth Povea Rodriguez, an illegal alien from Cuba, arrested by ICE. Her criminal history includes a conviction for disorderly conduct and arrests for battery and domestic violence.

Rubstony Junior Theodore, an illegal alien from Haiti, arrested by ICE. His criminal history includes arrests for larceny, obstruction of officers, and trespassing.

Wilbert Jean Baptiste, an illegal alien from Haiti, arrested by ICE.

Louis Jean, an illegal alien from Haiti, arrested by ICE.

Jhensly Charles, an illegal alien from Haiti, arrested by ICE.

These arrests mark the opening salvo in a sustained, large-scale ICE operation specifically targeting illegal aliens who have fraudulently accessed SNAP benefits that American taxpayers fund exclusively for U.S. citizens in need. Every one of these individuals entered the country unlawfully, then proceeded to draw from a program designed to feed struggling American families, in some cases while carrying criminal records.

The Trump Administration is executing a sustained, aggressive operation against this fraud, and we will not stop until every last one of these thieves is identified, removed, and barred from further access to American benefits.

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