By Tom Gantert | The Center Square
Every year, the United States has allowed between 1.47 million to 1.86 million noncitizens to receive food stamps from the federal government at a taxpayer cost of almost $3 billion a year.
That is according to annual reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its Supplement Nutritional Assistance Program.
“Only U.S. citizens and certain lawfully present non-citizens may receive SNAP benefits,” said Hal Sullivan, spokesperson for the USDA in an email to The Center Square. “SNAP is not and has never been available to undocumented non-citizens. Non-citizens like tourists and students are generally not eligible. Non-citizens who are eligible based on their immigration status must meet SNAP eligibility requirements, such as income and resource limits, and may also need to meet a waiting period.”