'No one is entitled!' MAGA congressman shames SNAP recipients for 'life choices'

As 42 million Americans go without federal food assistance, including 16 million children, Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) took to Newsmax Sunday to shame Americans who receive help through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, demanding they show “gratitude” and admit that their own “choices in life” led them to relying on the popular anti-poverty program.

“No one is entitled to [food stamps], that is a gift that is given to you by your fellow taxpayers because you are unable to care for yourself,” Fine said.

More than 12% of the U.S. population receives food assistance through SNAP, which due to the ongoing government shutdown has been disrupted for millions of Americans. Much like the Trump administration did for the military, it has the ability to fund SNAP using a pool of $6 billion in emergency funds earmarked for programs like SNAP, but has refused to do so.

Fine joined Newsmax Sunday to tout a new bill he plans on introducing to prohibit all non-citizens from receiving any form of welfare, and despite federal law already limiting federal welfare program eligibility to U.S. citizens, though some states operate their own welfare programs that aid individuals regardless of immigration status, such as Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program.

While speaking on his proposal, Fine launched into a rant against those receiving SNAP benefits, decrying any who have voiced criticisms at the program’s disruption, and urging them instead to show “gratitude.”

“The only thing that we should hear when it comes to food stamps is gratitude and an admission that choices made in life led to the need for it,” Fine said. “So when we hear people who expect it, then we know that we have a problem.”

On his bill, Fine clarified that it would also apply to legal immigrants, granted they failed to demonstrate the ability to be “self-reliant.”

“If you're coming here whether it's legally or illegally to get free stuff, then you ought to stay home,” Fine said. “Immigrants ought to be self-reliant; if they aren't, we shouldn't be letting them into our country.”