A group of 20 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration, aiming to block a federal directive that would force states to hand over sensitive data about millions of Americans receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
SNAP
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently issued an order requiring states to submit private information about SNAP applicants and recipients to the federal government. Attorney generals from 19 states, plus the District of Columbia, also argue the directive is not only invasive but potentially unlawful. They are refusing to comply, citing serious concerns about privacy and the legality of the data-sharing demand.
The lawsuit
The lawsuit, led by New York and California Attorneys General Letitia James and Rob Bonta, claims the USDA’s request violates privacy laws. One of the primary concerns is the possibility that the collected data could be used for immigration enforcement purposes. The suit asks the court to issue an injunction halting the data transfer and to rule that the administration cannot share the requested information with other federal agencies for purposes unrelated to SNAP.
Which states are involved?
The attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia have joined the lawsuit. “We will not allow this lifesaving program to be illegally used to hunt down immigrants and their families,” James said at a press conference.
The context
This lawsuit comes amid a push by the Trump administration to access data from a range of agencies. Recently, authorities have ordered agencies like the Internal Revenue Service to share private information with immigration officials.
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Author: Isabella Torregiani
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