President Trump’s Department of Agriculture is cracking down. On Tuesday, officials announced new steps to block illegal immigrants from getting food stamps.
"U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today directed the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately clarify and enforce all rules restricting its beneficiaries to U.S. citizens and legal residents only," the department said.
The move enforces Trump’s February 19 executive order. The goal? Stop taxpayer dollars from funding illegal immigration.
"The days in which taxpayer dollars are used to subsidize illegal immigration are over," Rollins declared.
"Today's directive affirms that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will follow the law—full stop."
Food stamp fraud has been a long-standing concern. Republicans, including Sen. Joni Ernst, have pushed for reforms. Ernst recently introduced a bill to address overpayments in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
"Bureaucratic blunders are leaving billions of dollars on the table as Americans are starved to keep up with the ever-growing $36 trillion debt," Ernst told Fox News Digital.
"SNAP plays an essential role in helping feed families. That’s why we need to strengthen its integrity by holding states accountable for growing error rates, implementing a zero-tolerance policy, and snapping back overpayments."
Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan weighed in. He told Fox News that illegal immigrants are getting more benefits than many working Americans.
"It is a major driver… how many welfare cards, and food stamps, and social services envelopes you see all around these homes," Homan said. "It's been going on for decades."