'For Americans only': US launches nationwide crackdown on illegal immigrants over food aid fraud; several arrested

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched a nationwide operation targeting undocumented immigrants accused of fraudulently obtaining food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with several arrests reported by federal authorities.US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the arrests to Fox News. DHS said those detained include nationals of Haiti and Cuba who were allegedly living in the US illegally and had accessed the federally funded assistance programme.Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the operation, arguing that people living in the country unlawfully should not receive taxpayer-funded benefits.“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,” Mullin said in a statement.“These programs are for Americans only,” he added, saying that even non-violent offences involving undocumented immigrants could have serious consequences when they involve alleged fraud against taxpayers.Mullin described those already apprehended and deported as “just a drop in the bucket”, indicating that the Trump administration intended to pursue further cases.Among those identified by DHS is Rubstony Junior Theodore, a Haitian national accused of living in the US unlawfully. ICE arrested him as part of the operation, according to federal officials. DHS said his criminal history includes arrests for larceny, obstruction of officers and trespassing.Three other Haitian nationals, Wilbert Jean Baptiste, Louis Jean and Jhensly Charles, were also arrested, the agency said.Authorities also identified Elizabeth Povea Rodriguez, a Cuban national accused of residing in the country illegally. She had previously been convicted of disorderly conduct and had been arrested over allegations involving battery and domestic violence.The department described the arrests as the beginning of a wider enforcement effort focused on alleged misuse of SNAP benefits.“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 US citizens in need,” DHS said.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.