Allegations of EBT Fraud and Policy Criticism Mount Against Massachusetts Administration
Viral allegations have surfaced accusing the administration of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey of facilitating the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by undocumented immigrants. The claims, circulating widely on social media platforms, allege that lax oversight and state policies have allowed individuals to exploit the welfare system, resulting in significant financial losses for the taxpayer-funded program.
These accusations emerge against a backdrop of rising concern regarding EBT “skimming,” a high-tech crime where thieves use hidden devices on card readers to clone cards and drain accounts. Massachusetts, like many other states, has seen a sharp increase in such theft, with millions of dollars in benefits stolen from legitimate low-income recipients over the past year. Governor Healey has previously taken legislative action to authorize state funds to reimburse victims of this fraud, arguing that vulnerable families should not go hungry due to criminal activity.
However, the narrative linking this theft directly to the state’s handling of the migrant crisis draws sharp objections from policy experts and state officials. Under current federal regulations, undocumented non-citizens are generally ineligible for SNAP benefits. State officials maintain that the vast majority of reported benefit theft is the work of organized criminal rings—often operating across state or international lines—rather than individual migrants committing application fraud. Furthermore, the administration argues that their recent efforts have focused on upgrading EBT card security, such as implementing chip technology, to stop these sophisticated cyber-thefts.
Critics, however, continue to point to the financial strain caused by the state’s emergency assistance programs. Massachusetts is currently managing a “right-to-shelter” crisis, with significant state funds allocated to housing and feeding homeless families, including a large number of recent arrivals. Detractors argue that the convergence of high state spending on migrant assistance and the vulnerabilities in the EBT system reflects a broader failure of governance, fueling the ongoing debate over fiscal responsibility and immigration policy in the Commonwealth.
