A federal court has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from requiring states to provide personal information about millions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. The decision comes after California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit in July against the Trump Administration, arguing that the USDA’s demand violates federal law and constitutional protections.
“Let’s be crystal clear: The President is trying to hijack a nutrition program to fuel his mass surveillance agenda,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We won’t let that happen — not on our watch, and not in our communities. The Trump Administration can try all it wants to strong arm states into illegally handing over data, but we know the rule of law is on our side. We will continue to vigorously litigate this lawsuit and defend our communities, protect privacy, and ensure that SNAP remains a tool for fighting hunger — not a weapon for political targeting.”
SNAP is funded by the federal government and administered by individual states. It provides food assistance to tens of millions of low-income families nationwide. Applicants are required to submit private information with assurances, supported by state and federal laws, that their data will not be used for unrelated purposes.
The USDA has threatened to withhold administrative funding from states that do not comply with its request for recipient data. This could force states to choose between safeguarding residents’ privacy and continuing to provide essential nutrition assistance. California receives more than $1 billion annually to administer SNAP, making timely funding crucial for residents who depend on the program.
A copy of the court order is available online.
