Trump admin drops hammer on SNAP scammers after finding 186K dead people collecting benefits

The Trump administration has plans to root out fraud in the country's food stamp program.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides benefits to approximately 42 million Americans, costing about $100 billion in the fiscal year 2024.

'Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends.'

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Thursday that the administration will require Americans receiving food stamps through SNAP to reapply.

Rollins told Newsmax that this effort would "make sure that everyone that's taking a taxpayer-funded benefit … that they literally are vulnerable and they can't survive without it."

Rollins explained that she sent letters to every state, requesting data on SNAP benefits. She noted that 29 states, primarily those led by Republicans, responded to the request.

She stated that "186,000 deceased men and women and children in this country are receiving a check."

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Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

"That is what we're really going to start clamping down on. Half a million are getting two [payments]," Rollins said, noting that this included data from only 29 states.

"Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue-state data what we're gonna find?" she added.

"It's going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program," Rollins continued.

The secretary described one instance in which an individual used the same Social Security number to obtain EBT cards in six states.

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Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

She noted that President Donald Trump has made cracking down on SNAP fraud a priority, adding that 120 arrests have already been made.

It is not yet clear when beneficiaries will be required to reapply for the benefits.

"Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends," a USDA spokesperson told The Hill. "Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of State data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with States."

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