Trump administration warns blue states of potential SNAP benefit cuts due to lack of immigration data

The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it plans to start withholding SNAP benefits in most Democratic-led states beginning next week after those states declined to provide the Agriculture Department with information such as recipients names and immigration statuses. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated during a Cabinet meeting that 29 Republican-led states have shared the requested data, while 21 states, including California, New York, and Minnesota, have not complied. The data request was made in February and, according to Rollins, aims to combat fraud.

Starting next week, federal funds will no longer be distributed to these states until they comply and collaborate with us to address fraud and protect taxpayers, Rollins said at the White House meeting.

Nearly 42 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food aid.

Following Rollins announcement, New York Governor Kathy Hochul questioned on X, Why is the Trump Administration so focused on leaving people hungry? Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison criticized the move as a political attack, calling it ridiculous and accusing the administration of attempting to withhold SNAP funds despite a court ruling against them.

Earlier this year, 21 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit to block the data-sharing requirement, claiming it was an effort to collect sensitive personal information for unauthorized purposes, referencing prior agreements between the IRS, Health and Human Services, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In October, a federal judge in San Francisco issued a preliminary injunction preventing the administration from cutting SNAP funding to states that refused to provide the requested information. The Agriculture Department has until December 15 to appeal the ruling, but a request to pause the injunction during the appeal process was already denied.

During the previous months record-long government shutdown, SNAP funding temporarily lapsed, leaving many recipients without assistance. The shutdown ended on November 12, resolving a Supreme Court-level legal challenge over the administrations attempt to withhold funds.

Author: Sophia Brooks