In a striking declaration, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has brought attention to significant issues within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Her comments shed light on widespread fraud occurring during crucial government operations. After examining data from 29 compliant states, Rollins described the program as “broken and corrupt.”
This claim emerged as a result of staggering findings. Rollins revealed that some EBT cards carried balances exceeding $10,000 and had not been used for years. Even more alarming… one individual was reportedly benefiting from six states at the same time. The Agriculture Secretary took decisive action, stating that her department has removed over 700,000 ineligible recipients from SNAP and arrested 118 individuals linked to illegal activities. “It’s a broken and corrupt program. Thousands and thousands of illegal uses of the EBT card. We’ve got almost 700,000 people moved off,” she stated firmly.
Andrew McClenahan of the United Council on Welfare Fraud echoed Rollins’ sentiments. He pointed out the significance of the Secretary’s words, saying, “I think it’s pretty telling when the Secretary of USDA calls it a broken and corrupt program.” The surge of beneficiaries has put immense pressure on taxpayers, resulting in a $28 billion increase in costs since the Biden administration took office. McClenahan’s experience revealed cases where EBT cards had up to $20,000, noting that individuals could remain on the program for extended periods without proper use of the benefits. “The government is supposed to expunge unused benefits after nine months, but if all you do is buy a stick of gum once every nine months, your balance stays on your card,” he explained.
Rollins has made clear her intent to reform SNAP, emphasizing its necessity on her first day at the Department of Agriculture. “We told every state to send us their SNAP data so we could make sure illegal immigrants aren’t getting benefits meant for American families,” she said. In her remarks, she highlighted that out of the 29 states that complied, 21 blue states refused to cooperate, with some even pursuing legal action against the USDA for their requests. “In just the states that cooperated, we’ve already uncovered massive fraud,” she noted.
Rollins’ remarks reflect a broader concern about the impact of government policies on working Americans. She criticized the Democratic Party, stating, “The Democrat Party has turned its back on working Americans and built its entire strategy around protecting illegal aliens.” She claimed that halting handouts would lead to a loss of support for illegal immigrants, predicting significant losses for the party in future elections. “There’s a new sheriff in town. @POTUS will not tolerate waste, fraud, or abuse while hardworking Americans go hungry,” she asserted.
Moreover, Rollins linked the rapid growth of SNAP beneficiaries to the policies implemented during the Biden administration. “We increased almost 40% on this program in just a couple of years under the Biden administration. Of course, we know they were trying to buy the election, but that’s a conversation for another time,” she remarked. This increase has placed extra strain on the system and highlighted the ongoing challenges within SNAP.
Rollins concluded by shedding light on the department’s progress in addressing fraud, reiterating, “We have been moving people off of SNAP. We’ve got almost 700,000 people, I think, that we’ve moved off just since the President took office. We’ve arrested about 118 people.” These statements emphasize not only the depth of the issues at hand but also the commitment to addressing them moving forward.
Overall, Rollins’ comments underscore the dire need for reform within the SNAP program. The acknowledgment of fraud signals a call for accountability and action aimed at protecting taxpayer funds while ensuring that assistance goes to deserving families. As both officials and citizens observe these developments, the implications for SNAP’s future understandably warrant close attention.
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