Trump administration demands crackdown on illegal immigrants potentially taking advantage of key benefit

The United States Department of Agriculture is demanding that states ensure illegal immigrants are not using food stamps.

The department wants states to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order from February that seeks improved methods to check that those in the country illegally do not receive federal benefits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The measure is meant to crack down on fraud and serve as a safeguard because illegal immigrants are already not allowed to use SNAP benefits. Only citizens and some legal noncitizens can do so.

"We've already made arrests in Minnesota and New York and Colorado, and we're just getting started," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told Fox News Digital in an interview.

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"We're going to be extremely, extremely aggressive. Now, hopefully it acts as a deterrent also."

The USDA is asking states to cross-check Social Security numbers with a death master file and to use the free Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system provided by the Department of Homeland Security for noncitizens applying for the benefits, among other steps to verify immigration status.

Rollins said it's "the president's vision to ensure that we're being the most efficient and effective with taxpayer dollars."

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"So, we think we'll be able to cut down on billions of fraud and save the taxpayers a lot of money," she said. 

John Walk, acting deputy under secretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services, wrote in a letter Thursday to state SNAP agencies, explaining the existing law. 

"By law, only United States citizens and certain lawfully present aliens may receive SNAP benefits. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193) established that ‘aliens within the Nation’s borders not depend on public resources to meet their needs.’  SNAP is not and has never been available to illegal aliens," Walk wrote. 

The crackdown comes as there is heightened scrutiny on the eligibility of illegal immigrants for benefits, such as California’s Medicaid program that allows people to enroll without their immigration status being considered, even though it's funded by state and federal taxpayer dollars.

California Republicans have said illegal immigrants' eligibility in the program is responsible for its insolvency, whereas Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said it's only a factor in a larger healthcare cost issue nationwide.

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"The federal government is now paying attention a lot more closely than ever before on how the states are spending the money," Rollins said. "I am from Texas. I actually have a lot of confidence in the Texas system. I think the red states, honestly, are probably a little more intentional and careful about this. Of course, it's the blue states that tend to want to put everyone on the taxpayers' back. And I think that we'll find a lot more of that moving forward, but hopefully it's a deterrence for everyone." 

Outside of immigration, SNAP has also faced calls for reform in several states to no longer allow the purchase of "junk food." Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recently asked the USDA to allow the state to prohibit the purchase of candy and soda with SNAP benefits, while adding rotisserie chicken to the list of available options. 

"President Trump and his administration have put a laser focus on solving America’s chronic disease epidemic, and reforming our food stamp program is a great place to start," Sanders said in a news release April 15. 

"Banning soda and candy from food stamps will remove some of the least healthy, most processed foods from the program and encourage low-income Arkansans to eat better." 

DHS chief Kristi Noem reveals how her purse was stolen at restaurant: 'Professionally done'

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem revealed in a podcast this week how her purse was snatched at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., describing it as "professionally done." 

The purse was taken Sunday by a White man wearing a mask, and the bag contained $3,000 in cash as well as personal documents including her passport, keys, driver's license and a DHS badge, an agency spokesperson confirmed.  

"It was kind of shocking, actually, because it was sitting right by my feet. I actually felt my purse, he hooked it with his foot and drug it a few steps away and dropped a coat over it and took it," Noem said on the "VINCE Show." 

"I felt it, but I thought it was my grandkids kicking me in the legs. But it was very professionally done, and it tells that this happens all the time to people and that they live in communities where this is a danger and it reaffirms why I am here," she added. "My job is to make sure that I do everything, every day I can to make our communities safer and President Trump recognizes that families shouldn’t have to live with any kind of violence in their lives." 

NOEM’S PURSE WAS STOLEN DAYS AFTER SIMILAR INCIDENT JUST BLOCKS AWAY: REPORT 

A Homeland Security spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that Noem’s "entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren — she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts." 

Noem said during the podcast interview that she isn’t sure why she was targeted, but an investigation is ongoing. 

NOEM’S PURSE STOLEN WITH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DC RESTAURANT: SOURCES 

"I think I was a busy grandma with four grandkids under the age of 4, and I was taking care of them and feeding them food and enjoying my family, but certainly had my purse even touching my feet and that is how vulnerable people can be," she said. 

"So I think we need to be aware, but also be making sure there is consequences for people like that that make a living off of harming other people," Noem added. 

A woman dining with her family recently had her purse stolen in downtown Washington, D.C., just a few blocks away from the restaurant where Noem’s handbag was swiped, NBC News also reported this week. 

Fox News’ Cameron Arcand contributed to this report. 

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