States Ask Court to Enforce Order Blocking SNAP Data Demand
In the latest move in a months-long case, a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia on Friday asked a federal court to enforce its previous order blocking the Trump administration from demanding that states turn over six years of sensitive data about millions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients.
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In October, the U.S. District Court for Northern California halted the data collection and blocked the USDA from cutting funding to states based on their noncompliance, ruling that irreparable harm would occur if the federal government’s actions weren't blocked, and that they were contrary to the SNAP Act (see 2510160015).
“In disregard of this Court’s preliminary injunction,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in late November, “renewed its demand for six years’ worth of SNAP applicant and recipient records.” In addition, it “threatened to penalize States by withholding potentially hundreds of millions of dollars of necessary funding” if they didn't comply, the states said.
Despite the USDA having “now ‘proposed’ a data and security protocol, its latest demand [for SNAP data] violates the Court’s injunction because its protocol would still permit data sharing and use that is unlawful under” the order, the states added.
The coalition argued that even if the federal government’s renewed demand is outside the scope of the October 15 injunction, the injunction should be expanded to block the new data demand, as it violates the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and other laws.
“The Trump Administration’s latest demand for SNAP data is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to get around an existing court order,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) in a release. “We will not be bullied into turning over the private, sensitive data of SNAP recipients in California. If the Trump Administration wants to stop losing in court, it should stop breaking the law.”
Massachusetts AG Andrea Joy Campbell (D), in a separate release Friday, said, “The court made clear that while this case proceeds, the Trump Administration cannot punish states that refuse to help fuel their cruel immigration agenda by violating the privacy of vulnerable children and families trying to make ends meet."
“The rule of law is on our side,” added Washington state AG Nick Brown in a Monday release calling for the court to enforce the block. Michigan AG Dana Nessel said, "It is my hope that the Court swiftly rebukes this latest attempt and puts an end to this Administration’s efforts to sow chaos and confusion around one of our most important programs, while jeopardizing residents' ability to feed their families" on Monday as well.
Bonta and others in the coalition sued the Trump administration in July (case 3:25-cv-06310), calling the data demand a violation of the U.S. Constitution and multiple federal privacy laws (see 2507280065). The USDA has argued that its actions are lawful (see 2509030046).