U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested multiple individuals on allegations of fraudulently accessing SNAP benefits, the Department of Homeland Security said. Those arrested included Elizabeth Povea Rodriguez from Cuba, and Rubstony Junior Theodore, Wilbert Jean Baptiste, Louis Jean, and Jhensly Charles from Haiti.
According to DHS, Rodriguez had a prior conviction for disorderly conduct and arrests for battery and domestic violence. Theodore had arrests for larceny, obstruction of officers, and trespassing. The agency said all arrested individuals had entered the country unlawfully before accessing SNAP benefits, which provide food assistance to eligible low-income individuals and families.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement that "the illegal alien fraudsters that we've already arrested and deported are just a drop in the bucket, and the Trump Administration is committed to going after all these thieves and bringing them to justice." DHS described the arrests as the start of a sustained, large-scale operation targeting individuals accused of fraudulently accessing the benefits program.