SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or Secure Nice American Paycheck, You Pick

In today's Laredo Morning Times there is an article about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP.)
The article reports that the Texas Food Bank Network says that Texas has failed to enroll all the people eligible for the program and therefore are not spending all the money allocated by the SNAP program to the tune of $135 million.

My questions are these:

1.  How can the Texas Food Bank Network know how many people are really eligible for SNAP in Texas if illegal immigrants are allowed to apply?

I believe they are only saying that all the benefits are not being used because the money has not been spent, not because they have identified families that are eligible.  Classic case of "well the money was budgeted, so we must spend it" often used in government circles.

2.  How many people are using SNAP that do not live in this country?  

We know that we have hundreds, if not thousands, of students from Mexico cross the border each day to attend our public schools along the US/Mexico border.  They have established some sort of residency claim.  They could do the same for SNAP.


From a flyer distributed in Mexico by the US Department of Agriculture:

“The promotion of the food stamp program, now known as “SNAP” (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), includes a Spanish-language flyer provided to the Mexican Embassy by the USDA with a statement advising Mexicans in the U.S. that they do not need to declare their immigration status in order to receive financial assistance,” Judicial Watch announced today.  “Emphasized in bold and underlined, the statement reads, ‘You need not divulge information regarding your immigration status in seeking this benefit for your children.’”

Should Americans be forced to pay welfare to those that do not even live in this country?

What say you?