CITIZENS NEWS

21 States sue USDA over demand for SNAP data

By lauraharris // 2025-08-01

• A coalition of states sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on July 28, alleging that the agency's demand for detailed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient data violates privacy laws and exceeds legal authority.
• The USDA requested personally identifiable information, including names, Social Security numbers, addresses and benefit histories, from all SNAP recipients since January 2020.
• Plaintiffs argue that the data demand breaches both state and federal laws requiring confidentiality of SNAP data and warn that noncompliance penalties could disrupt critical food aid.
• The lawsuit claims the data is intended for immigration enforcement and is part of a broader agenda stemming from a March 20 Trump executive order seeking "unfettered access" to federally funded program data.
• USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins defended the move as a lawful step to ensure only eligible individuals receive SNAP benefits, citing longstanding gaps in real-time oversight.

A coalition of 21 U.S. states and the District of Columbia has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), challenging a federal demand for detailed personal data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. The lawsuit, filed in the District Court for the Northern District of California on July 28, accuses the USDA of overreach and privacy violations. According to the lawsuit, the USDA requested names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, addresses and benefit histories of all SNAP recipients dating back to January 2020. While the USDA has justified the request as necessary for maintaining the integrity of the program and ensuring only eligible recipients receive benefits, the plaintiffs argued that the scope of data requested is unsupported by current law. The plaintiffs, 20 of whom are led by Democratic governors, claim that disclosing such sensitive data would violate both state and federal privacy laws that require the confidentiality of SNAP applicant information. The USDA's deadline for states to transfer the data to the Food and Nutrition Service was set for July 30, with non-compliant states facing potential funding cuts. "Any delay in that funding could be catastrophic for the State and the residents who rely on SNAP to meet their basic nutritional needs," the lawsuit read. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is spearheading the lawsuit, condemned the data demand in a statement released on July 28. "This unprecedented demand that states turn over SNAP data violates all kinds of state and federal privacy laws and further breaks the trust between the federal government and the people it serves," he said. "The president doesn't get to change the rules in the middle of the game, no matter how much he may want to." Bonta added that the states will "not comply" with the demand; instead, they will "see the president in court." (Related: USDA cracks down on SNAP benefit fraud in nationwide operation.) The states further alleged that the USDA's actions are politically motivated. The lawsuit claimed that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been compiling information from multiple sources to create a centralized, searchable database of citizens and noncitizens, possibly for use in immigration enforcement.

Rollins: Trump's EO aims to ensure "only those eligible" qualify for SNAP

The lawsuit stems from a letter that the USDA sent to states on May 6, notifying them of efforts to collect SNAP data from state agencies and their contractors. This move, which is part of a broader initiative to identify and deport illegal immigrants, would ensure that "Americans in need receive assistance, while at the same time safeguarding taxpayer dollars from abuse." It is also a response to a March 20 executive order signed by President Donald Trump directing federal agencies to ensure "unfettered access to comprehensive data" from all state-run programs funded by the federal government. "President Trump is rightfully requiring the federal government to have access to all programs it funds and SNAP is no exception," USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins said in May, defending the move. "For years, this program has been on autopilot, with no USDA insight into real-time data. The Department is focused on appropriate and lawful participation in SNAP, and today's request is one of many steps to ensure SNAP is preserved for only those eligible." Watch this video explaining the major SNAP benefit changes under the second Trump administration. This video is from the Treasure of the Sun channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com OAG.ca.gov USDA.gov Brighteon.com

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