Rollins says she plans to make SNAP recipients reapply for benefits to reduce fraud

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Thursday revealed that she plans to make Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients reapply for benefits as a way to reduce fraud in the government program.

The discussion surrounding SNAP benefits comes after recipients did not receive a check earlier this month because of the record-long government shutdown, which ended Wednesday. But the Trump administration had previously expressed concern about fraud in the program. 

Rollins told Newsmax that she received data on SNAP recipients from 29 Republican states, which found that “186,000 deceased men and women and children in this country are receiving a check." 

“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data what we’re going to find?” she asked. “It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP ...  that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it."

Each state has a periodic recertification process that requires SNAP or food stamp recipients to update their whereabouts and earnings, according to the Department of Agriculture. Most places are every six to 12 months.

Rollins did not indicate when she would make recipients reapply for benefits, but said Americans in the program can expect their next benefits by Monday. There are currently approximately 42 million Americans enrolled in the program.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.