New guidance directs states to enhance identity and immigration checks in response to Executive Order on benefit eligibility.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins directed Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services John Walk to issue updated guidance to state agencies to improve identity and immigration verification practices for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants. This action aligns with President Trump’s executive order that seeks to ensure that taxpayer-funded benefits are reserved for eligible U.S. citizens and lawful residents.
“We are stewards of taxpayer dollars, and it is our duty to ensure states confirm the identity and verify the immigration status of SNAP applicants. USDA’s nutrition programs are intended to support the most vulnerable Americans,” said Secretary Rollins.
The USDA cited that improper payments totaled $10.5 billion in fiscal year 2023, with weak verification processes contributing significantly.
The guidance instructs states to strengthen documentation requirements, improve efforts to detect fraudulent Social Security number usage, and make greater use of the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE system, now offered to states at no cost.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Rollins and Acting Deputy Under Secretary Walk as they seek to ensure states are only providing SNAP assistance to eligible U.S. citizens or legal residents.
- For President Trump and members of his administration as they enforce federal immigration laws and food assistance regulations.
Sources: Department of Agriculture
