Illegal Immigrant, Mother Of Seven, Has Been Collecting Welfare For 20 Years Recently, Fox News Steve Harrigan reported on the food stamp program in Florida, which appears to have gotten completely out of hand. Harrigan revealed the shocking story of Marla Nelson, an illegal immigrant and mother of seven. Marla is a single mother, and collects $240 in food stamps a month. She also received child support, and government funded housing, medication, and $700 a month in social security. Marla has received these benefits for nearly 20 years, without even being a citizen. She is now in the process of teaching others how they can benefit from public assistance the way that she did. Harrington also reported that Floridas federal assistance recruiters often sign up for multiple federal aid programs at the same time. That probably has something to do with the fact that the goal of the recruiters is to increase federal aid to Florida by one billion dollars a year. And with that big of a bill to justify, its no wonder that recruiters would dig up anyone they could. With people like Marla, the state might even be exceeding their goals. 