LePage orders scrutiny of welfare benefits for immigrants in Maine

Gov. Paul LePage vowed to scrutinize public assistance benefits for immigrants Wednesday in the wake of revelations that an Iranian refugee living in Freeport who was receiving benefits ended up fighting for the Islamic State and dying in battle in Lebanon.

However, the state doesn’t have the authority to deny federal welfare benefits to refugees, according to an advocate who lobbies on behalf of social safety net policies. While state agencies oversee many federal welfare programs, the states must follow federal rules when administering the programs.

In an interview with the Boston Herald published Wednesday, LePage said the state should review welfare benefits granted to refugees, after Maine officials told the newspaper that Adnan Fazeli was on food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

It was unclear from the Boston Herald interview what steps the LePage administration could take to clamp down on welfare benefits for refugees and how those moves would affect applicants for assistance.

Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2016/08/17/lepage-orders-scrutiny-of-public-assistance-benefits-for-refugees-in-maine/