DESJARLAIS EXPRESSES CONCERN TO USDA & DHS OVER ILLEGAL MIGRANT SNAP BENEFIT USE

(WASHINGTON, DC) -Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) authored a letter to United States Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressing concern over illegal migrants potentially using SNAP benefits.

Rep. DesJarlais expressed his gratitude for the work President Trump, Secretary Rollins, and Secretary Noem have done so far to ensure those who are in the U.S. illegally are unable to take advantage of social programs. He highlighted his concern that progressive state leaders across the country may still be gaming the system due to a lack of reporting requirements.

"I write to you today to express my concern that the United States Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is continuing to be utilized by illegal aliens, despite multiple Trump Administration directives, when we have American citizens who are in need. I strongly believe that without strict reporting requirements from states that manage their individual SNAP programs, corruption will occur from progressive governors and state leaders," said DesJarlais in his letter.

The Tennessee Congressman placed blame on former President Biden's failed open border policies for the reason the current SNAP system is being utilized by illegal migrants.

He says in the letter, "President Biden stopped the enforcement of former President Trump's Public Charge Rule in March of 2021, which denied migrants' entrance into the U.S. if they possessed the potential to need government welfare assistance. This enticed even more migrants to flood our southern border. We are also aware that under the direction of Biden, many migrants were granted asylum or asylum-seeking status without proper investigation or adjudication into these claims."

Rep. DesJarlais requested answers to the following questions:

• How many Americans are currently enrolled in SNAP benefits?
• How many non-American citizens are currently enrolled in SNAP benefits?
• • a) How many non-American citizens enrolled in SNAP benefits are minors?
  • b) How many non-American citizens enrolled in SNAP benefits are claiming asylum-seeking status?
  • c) How many non-American citizens began immediately receiving SNAP benefits based on the other nine exceptions listed above?
• Are there means of tracking the number of non-American citizens who immediately receive SNAP benefits upon arriving in the United States to ensure there is not widespread fraud and abuse? If no, is this something that can be mandated to states to receive funding for their SNAP programs?
• What is the annual cost to the SNAP benefits program for non-citizens who are seeking asylum?

He ended the letter by saying he is grateful for the work the Trump Administration has done so far to remediate the devastating impact Biden's open border policies have had on Americans. DesJarlais says he hopes to partner with Rollins and Noem to continue this work.

###

Congressman DesJarlais' full letter to Secretary Rollins and Secretary Noem can be found HERE.

Permalink: https://desjarlais.house.gov/2025/10/desjarlais-expresses-concern-to-usda-dhs-over-illegal-migrant-snap-benefit-use