14 Attorneys General Urge the USDA to Withdraw Demand on States for Personal Data of SNAP Recipients

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2025

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14 Attorneys General Urge the USDA to Withdraw Demand on States for Personal Data of SNAP Recipients

Washington, D.C. — Attorneys General from 14 states are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Food and Nutrition Service to withdraw its demand on states for SNAP recipient data to be used in the creation of a national database.

In a joint letter, the Attorneys General say a federal database would “require that States unlawfully turn over Americans’ sensitive, personal information … USDA’s proposal would duplicate Congressionally mandated eligibility determinations already performed by the States, which is not only a profound threat to individuals’ privacy, but also a waste of funds that could be used to fight hunger.”

The letter from the Attorneys General goes on to say, “USDA should rethink this flawed and unlawful proposal and instead work with the States to improve program efficiency and integrity through the robust processes already in place.”

Efforts by the Attorneys General follow a lawsuit claiming the USDA’s demand for SNAP recipients’ data violates several federal statutes, including the Paperwork Reduction Act and the Privacy Act. The lawsuit was filed by Student Defense, Protect Democracy, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ), and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) on behalf of students, SNAP recipients, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and EPIC. 

A hearing related to this lawsuit regarding a motion for a Temporary Restraining Order to stop USDA’s consolidation of SNAP recipient data from states is scheduled for Wednesday, July 23.