Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced Sunday that thousands of individuals she identified as illegal migrants have been removed from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), promising a significant overhaul of the food aid program to prioritize truly vulnerable Americans.
Appearing on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Rollins was questioned about the eligibility of illegal immigrants for SNAP, a concern that came into the national spotlight as the government shutdown stretched out in October 2025.
“When I walked into Day One of USDA, February 13th, is we sent letters to every governor in America being very clear that no illegal aliens can use SNAP. Zero,” Rollins stated.
The Secretary detailed a concerted effort by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to audit the program. “We asked every state for the first time in history… to send us their data and let us, with DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] and a war room, actually start going through this data to better understand how this explosion of SNAP benefits happened under Joe Biden.” Rollins claimed the program increased by “almost 40%” during the previous administration. RELATED: Trump Seeks Court Guidance To Fund SNAP Amid Shutdown, Blames Democrats For Delays
Data Reveals ‘Illegal Use’ of EBT Cards
Rollins revealed that 29 states have complied with the request for data. “In that data we have found, we have thousands and thousands of illegal use of the [Electronic Benefit Transfer] EBT card,” she claimed.
According to the Secretary, the administration has been actively moving people off the program since taking office. “We’ve got almost 700,000 people I think we’ve moved off just since the president took office. We’ve arrested about 118 people. So this has been ongoing.”
Rollins also cited other examples of “corruption,” including finding individuals receiving benefits in multiple states and approximately 5,000 deceased persons still on the rolls.
“It is time to drastically reform this program so that we can make sure that those who are truly needy, truly vulnerable, are getting what they need and the rest of the corruption goes away and we can serve the American taxpayer,” Rollins asserted.
Shutdown and Legal Battles Over Benefits
The debate over SNAP eligibility intensified amidst the government shutdown. The USDA posted a notice on Monday stating that SNAP benefits would be paused starting November 1, citing the ongoing shutdown and calling out Democrats for their votes. The agency reportedly declined to use $5 billion in contingency funds, asserting the funds were “not legally available.”
This move followed a flurry of legal action. A handful of Democrat-led states, including Arizona and Massachusetts, had already sued the administration. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta also announced the state would join the suit, alleging the Trump administration was in “unlawful refusal” of SNAP benefits.
By Friday, however, two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must tap into the contingency fund to continue the benefits.
Despite the judicial ruling, Rollins reiterated the administration’s commitment to reforming the program. “Guess what? There’s a new sheriff in town. His name is Donald Trump and this program will be reformed. We will hold people accountable and we will be able to help those who really need it.”
READ: Federal Judges Order Trump Admin To Fund SNAP During Shutdown, Averting Food Aid Freeze
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