Maine Refugee ‘On Welfare’ Fought for ISIS

The unsealing of an FBI file on a Maine refugee who was killed overseas fighting for ISIS has stirred controversy in the state over the granting of welfare benefits to refugees.

Maine Gov. Paul LePage told the Boston Herald that Adnan Fazeli and his family received cash and food stamp benefits before Fazeli left Portland, Maine, on Aug. 13, 2013, on a flight to Turkey. Fazeli was killed in Lebanon last year while fighting for ISIS, according to the federal court documents.

The information was contained in an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Portland last Oct. 27 by Maine State Police Detective George Loder, the Portland paper said. {snip}

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LePage told the Herald the Fazeli case prompted him to order a review of all benefit programs for refugees.

But state officials, citing federal law, will not confirm whether or not Fazeli or his family received welfare benefits when he lived in Maine between 2009 and 2013.

According to the law, only law enforcement, immigration officials and state administrators are allowed to know who receives welfare benefits. The law states the officials “must adequately protect the information against unauthorized disclosure.”

The Herald, nevertheless, cited Maine officials who said Fazeli was on food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families for at least four years until he left for Turkey.

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