Federal Fight Over SNAP Records Puts Millions At Risk Again
The Trump administration said Tuesday it will begin withholding SNAP benefits from recipients in most Democrat-led states starting next week if those states fail to turn over detailed information about people receiving assistance.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the move during a Cabinet meeting, claiming the administration needs states’ cooperation in order to investigate fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Rollins said the department is specifically seeking names and immigration status information for millions of recipients. Democratic states have sued to block the requirement.
Nearly 42 million lower-income Americans rely on SNAP, about 1 in 8 people nationwide. The average benefit comes to roughly $190 per person each month, just over $6 a day.
SNAP is rarely the focus of national political fights, but the program has been pulled into a heated spotlight this year. As part of Trump’s sweeping tax and policy package, new work requirements were approved that now apply to adults ages 55 to 64, homeless individuals and others who previously qualified for exemptions.
The administration also planned to halt funding for November SNAP benefits during the recent federal government shutdown. Courts wrestled over whether the freeze could legally take effect, but the government reopened before a final ruling and payments ultimately continued.
Several states scrambled to cover benefits on their own during the uncertainty, and many increased or accelerated funding for food banks to help families prepare.
This latest clash over recipient data predates the shutdown. The administration first demanded state records in February. Most Republican-led states have already complied. Most Democratic-led states have refused and taken the issue to court, challenging the federal government’s attempt to force disclosure of individual personal records, including immigration status.
