Overview

• Twenty state attorneys general led by Letitia James, Rob Bonta and Dana Nessel filed the lawsuit July 28 in the Northern District of California to block the USDA’s data request
• The USDA’s directive requires states to hand over five years of SNAP recipient records, including Social Security numbers and addresses, under threat of withholding administrative funding
• Plaintiffs argue the demand exceeds the USDA’s statutory authority and fails to meet requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act and the Spending Clause
• States contend the data grab breaches federal and state privacy laws and could deter eligible low-income and immigrant families from enrolling in SNAP
• With the July 30 compliance deadline passed and states refusing to comply, the court’s forthcoming decision will shape federal–state authority over welfare data sharing