The White House / Donald J. Trump, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A coalition of more than 20 state attorneys general sued President Donald Trump's administration on Monday for requiring states to hand over sensitive personal information about recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as "food stamps." The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, accuses the administration of using this information to intimidate immigrant and vulnerable communities under the guise of combating fraud.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in California and is led by Attorneys General Rob Bonta of California, Letitia James of New York, and Dana Nessel of Michigan.
Sensitive data requested by Trump
According to the lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers SNAP, asked states to provide detailed information on program applicants for the past five years. This includes full names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, addresses, and ZIP codes.
The deadline for submitting this data is July 30, and the USDA has warned that states that fail to comply could face noncompliance proceedings, which could result in the withholding of federal funds.
Accusations of privacy violations and political persecution
State prosecutors believe this requirement violates state and federal privacy laws and warns that it could be used as a tool of intimidation against immigrant and low-income communities.
“This unprecedented action further undermines the trust between the federal government and the people it serves,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
During a virtual press conference, Bonta emphasized that this measure does not respond to genuine concerns about fraud or waste in the system, as SNAP is considered a program with very low rates of documented fraud.
Impact on vulnerable communities
New York Attorney General Letitia James charged that the information now being demanded by the government was provided by recipients to obtain food aid, not to be included in a government database for surveillance purposes.
“Families gave their information to feed their children, not to be targeted by inhumane immigration policies,” James said.
Currently, SNAP benefits more than 42 million people in the United States, including children, older adults, people with disabilities, low-wage workers, and immigrant families.
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