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2w ago

Judge Blocks USDA SNAP Data Push as Kansas Faces Funding Freeze

USDA's funding freeze tests holdout states outside the court order.

Stock image/file photo: A SNAP sign in a store window.
Stock image/file photo: Retailer sign showing SNAP accepted in store.
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Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney issued a temporary restraining order on Sept. 18 blocking the USDA from collecting SNAP recipients’ personal data from 21 plaintiff states and D.C.
  • The USDA has begun disallowing administrative payments to noncompliant states, pausing about $10.4 million to Kansas after rejecting its corrective plan, though an appeal will stay the cut for now.
  • The federal request seeks multi-year records since Jan. 1, 2020—including names, birth dates, addresses, and Social Security numbers—which USDA says are needed to verify eligibility and detect fraud.
  • Plaintiff states cite privacy protections and potential immigration-enforcement uses; court filings note USDA acknowledged the data could be disclosed to entities beyond assistance programs for other purposes.
  • USDA may oppose the order by Sept. 26, with an Oct. 9 hearing set on extending the block, and non-plaintiff states such as Pennsylvania are weighing legal options.