Plaintiffs Move for a Temporary Restraining Order to Stop USDA’s Consolidation of SNAP Recipient Data from States
Plaintiffs also amend their complaint, calling out new flaws in USDA’s professed compliance with federal privacy laws
Washington, D.C. (July 17, 2025) — Today, students, SNAP recipients, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) filed a new motion for a temporary restraining order to stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from unlawfully collecting Americans’ sensitive personal data while litigation is pending. The plaintiffs are represented by the National Student Legal Defense Network, Protect Democracy, and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ).
The groups initially sued the USDA on May 22 to block the agency’s attempt to obtain the personal data of tens of millions of American citizens who receive food assistance benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). By law, that data is maintained by states, and Plaintiffs assert that USDA’s attempt to collect this data is being done in violation of federal privacy laws.
Less than a week after the lawsuit was filed, the Trump administration paused its demands. In a sworn declaration dated May 30, a top USDA official stated that the agency had not collected any of the SNAP recipient data in question and promised it would not proceed with its plan to do so without following federal laws that protect data privacy and security.
On July 9, the government renewed its data demand and announced plans to collect tens of millions of records on SNAP applicants and recipients beginning July 24, giving no time for any meaningful consideration of public comments, which are due only one day prior. In response, the plaintiffs have amended their complaint, naming as unlawful the government’s renewed demand in light of the agency’s failure to comply with the Privacy Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
“This Administration is trying to work the system,” said Madeline Wiseman, Counsel at the National Student Legal Defense Network. “After promising in court to follow proper procedures, USDA’s actions out of the courtroom continue to demonstrate a disregard for the legal requirements that limit its ability to collect and use this data. This lawlessness must be stopped.”
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the complaint alleges that the USDA’s request violates the Privacy Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. It explains that the litigation “seeks to ensure that the government is not exploiting the most vulnerable beneficiaries of key programs by disregarding longstanding privacy protections, depriving the public of critical information regarding data collection and protections, and eviscerating the public’s right to comment on the mass collection and consolidation by the federal government of sensitive, personal data of tens of millions of individuals who rely on federal food assistance benefits.”
“When we say ‘data,’ we’re talking about people’s home addresses, social security numbers, and other personally identifiable information,” said Nicole Schneidman, Technology Policy Strategist at Protect Democracy. “This is exactly the kind of sensitive information that our privacy laws were designed to protect. The Trump administration is playing fast and loose with the critical procedures these laws mandate. It is dangerous, not to mention unconscionable, for the federal government to show such disdain and disregard for Americans’ right to privacy.”
“The USDA’s illegal attempts to collect the private data of SNAP recipients are reckless and exploitative,” said Saima Akhtar, Senior Attorney at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. “No one should be forced to surrender their privacy to feed their families.”
“Families did not consent to such a wholesale exposure of their data in exchange for lifesaving assistance to put food on the table, nor should they be required to,” stated Sarah Pratter, Director of Legal Advocacy at MAZON. “The vital importance of SNAP and the highly sensitive data being requested warrant a more thoughtful and thorough process than the one exhibited here. This is yet another reckless and dangerous move by USDA, and we are firmly committed to continuing this fight to protect the dignity of hungry Americans.”
You can learn more about the case on the Protect Democracy website. You can also find the motion, the full complaint and the press release on the Student Defense website and the NCLEJ website.
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Student Defense is a non-profit organization that works through litigation and advocacy to advance students’ rights to educational opportunity, and to ensure that higher education provides a launching point for economic mobility.
Protect Democracy is a cross-ideological non-profit group dedicated to defeating the authoritarian threat, building more resilient democratic institutions, and protecting our freedom and liberal democracy.
The National Center for Law and Economic Justice is a legal nonprofit organization that advances racial and economic justice for low-income families, individuals, and communities across the country through ground-breaking impact litigation, policy advocacy, and support for grassroots organizing. Founded in 1965, NCLEJ fights to protect access to critical benefits like food stamps, Medicaid, and childcare, protect low-wage workers’ rights and safety, advocates for the rights of people with disabilities, and fights unlawful debt collection.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center is a public interest research center in Washington, DC established in 1994 to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age.
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger is a national nonprofit organization inspired by Jewish values and ideals, working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel.
