Trump Administration Backs Off Illegal Demand for SNAP Data
Reversal comes in response to lawsuit filed by SNAP recipients and advocacy organizations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2025
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Julian Wright
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646-599-2235
Washington, D.C. — In response to a lawsuit challenging its legality, the Trump Administration has agreed to pause their demand for the personal data of millions of SNAP recipients.
In a sworn declaration, senior U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) official Shiela Corley stated that the agency has not collected any of the SNAP recipient data in question and will not proceed with its plan to do so without following laws intended to protect privacy and data security.
This declaration follows a lawsuit claiming the USDA’s demand violates several federal statutes, including the Paperwork Reduction Act and the Privacy Act. The lawsuit was filed by Student Defense, Protect Democracy, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ), and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) on behalf of students, SNAP recipients, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and EPIC.
On May 6, the USDA sent a letter to state administrators demanding the Social Security numbers, addresses, and other sensitive personal information of all SNAP recipients on record since January 1, 2020. The USDA requested “unfettered access to comprehensive data,” including records stored by private companies that process SNAP payments, with no clear explanation for how this data would be used. The letter threatened that any failure to comply with the order could result in the withholding of funds to state agencies.
The declaration from Corley, filed on May 30, says: “USDA has instructed EBT Processors to refrain from sending any data until USDA completed procedural steps to ensure that data received would be appropriately safeguarded and to satisfy all necessary legal requirements. In accordance with USDA’s instruction, EBT Processors have not sent any data to USDA in response to the May 6 letter. Before any of the data described in the May 6 Letter is provided to USDA, USDA intends to publish a new SORN in compliance with the Privacy Act.”
Plaintiffs’ counsel filed a motion for a Temporary Restraining Order on May 27, aiming to protect SNAP recipients’ data from the federal government. Because the Trump Administration has now publicly committed to completing certain procedural steps before obtaining any data from states and third-party vendors, that motion has been withdrawn. The lawsuit will proceed on its merits.
“This is a victory for tens of millions of SNAP recipients and anyone who cares about protecting our personal data against government abuse,” said John Davisson, Director of Litigation and Senior Counsel at EPIC. “Although this fight is just beginning, we’re grateful that the USDA acknowledged its legal obligation to safeguard privacy and remain accountable to the public.”
“The USDA’s decision to back off its illegal demand for SNAP data marks a critical moment in this urgent fight for justice. It serves as a reminder that USDA must consider how its actions will impact those facing hunger in this country,” said Abby J. Leibman, President & CEO of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. “The laws and processes protecting privacy exist for vital reasons. Americans are clear that everyone has a high expectation of privacy regarding their personal information — and SNAP applicants do not cede that expectation in exchange for receiving vital support to meet their basic needs.”
“I struggled to enroll in CalFresh for over a year while I was living out of a car and attending community college without enough food to eat. The government should be finding ways to help students like me put food on the table, not making it harder and more confusing,” said Namod Pallek, a plaintiff and SNAP recipient from California.
“When you’re struggling to put food on the table and rely on SNAP to make ends meet, the last thing you need to be worried about is whether those benefits are stable. The USDA has caused unnecessary confusion, and hardworking people will suffer unless this stops. I’m relieved by the USDA’s declaration today, even if it’s only temporary relief,” said Diana Ramos, a plaintiff and SNAP recipient from New York.
“The USDA’s demand for SNAP recipients’ data raises serious privacy concerns,” said Student Defense Counsel Madeline Wiseman. “This lawsuit is ongoing, and we intend to keep a close eye on what the USDA does next.”
“No agency has the authority to bypass the foundational protections that safeguard Americans’ right to privacy. The USDA’s declaration to ‘satisfy all necessary legal requirements’ is a step in the right direction, but we plan to continue this fight. Let other agencies take note – no one is above the law,” said Nicole Schneidman, Technology Policy Strategist at Protect Democracy.
“It’s positive to see the USDA pause its illegal attempts to access the private data of millions of SNAP recipients,” said Saima Akhtar, Senior Attorney at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. “At a time when low-income people are facing major SNAP delays across the nation, we need to make it easier for people to access their benefits. We will continue to fight against the federal government’s lawless attempts to use SNAP as a political weapon.”
The declaration is available here. You can learn more about the case on the Protect Democracy website. You can also find the full complaint and the press release on the Student Defense website, on the Protect Democracy website, and on 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.
