Suspected illegal immigrants accused of stealing Americans’ IDs to get benefits | 18 June 2026 | A nationwide welfare fraud crackdown reached Massachusetts this week, as federal authorities announced the arrests of 15 people — 11 of them illegal immigrants — accused of stealing more than $1.4 million in American taxpayer-funded benefits. The defendants are accused of fraudulently obtaining benefits through programs including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance, MassHealth, Social Security disability payments, housing assistance and unemployment benefits, according to the Department of Justice. “Alarmingly, 11 of the 15 charged defendants are suspected illegal aliens, some of whom assumed stolen identities to steal these taxpayer-funded benefits and avoid detection,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Colin MacDonald said during a Thursday press conference in Boston. Officials said one defendant, Heriberto Rodriguez of Framingham, Massachusetts, is accused of carrying out more than $546,000 in benefit fraud involving MassHealth, Social Security, housing assistance and SNAP benefits.