ICE Arrests Two More Haitian Nationals in Ohio for Food Stamp Fraud
Two Haitian men were arrested in Ohio by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for allegedly fraudulently collecting food stamps. This news came from Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, who reported that ICE confirmed the arrests. Both individuals have been ordered for deportation and initially entered the U.S. during the Biden administration, with one using the CBP One app.
Icles Cerome was arrested in Westerville on Monday. He had illegally crossed into the U.S. through Brownsville, Texas, on December 29, 2023. After being apprehended by Border Patrol, he was released, but an immigration judge subsequently ordered his deportation about a month later, on January 30, 2024. Reports indicate he acknowledged to ICE that he receives SNAP benefits in Ohio.
Clairinor Duclerc was taken into custody in Columbus on Tuesday. He entered the country utilizing the CBP One application at the San Ysidro crossing in California on March 29, 2024. His final removal order was signed by an immigration judge on January 20, 2025. Additionally, there’s an active bench warrant against him in Franklin County. Duclerc informed officials that he resides in Ohio with his wife, who is also Haitian, and their one-year-old son, a U.S. citizen.
The arrests are part of a broader initiative launched recently by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The first phase of this operation resulted in the arrest of five individuals, which included four Haitian nationals and one from Cuba. DHS characterized this initial round as just the beginning of a more extensive effort.
Notably, all four of the Haitian nationals detained during the first sweep were linked to cases in Ohio. In one incident, a man was apprehended near a shopping center in Springfield after attempting to flee from agents on foot.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has emphasized that those who illegally entered the U.S. should not be eligible for SNAP benefits, asserting, “These programs are for Americans only.”
Data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services indicates that approximately 41,900 noncitizens received SNAP benefits in the state last year, many of whom are lawful permanent residents.
Federal prosecutors are pursuing separate SNAP fraud cases in multiple states, including Ohio, Illinois, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Arizona. One indictment in Ohio is linked to an alleged $29.7 million scheme.
The Justice Department’s initial sweep uncovered nearly $42 million in SNAP fraud, contributing to approximately $45 million in total governmental losses.
