California Attorney General Rob Bonta asked a court to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from attempting to force states to turn over the personal and sensitive information about millions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients while litigation over the legality of the demand continues. SNAP is a federally funded, state-administered program that provides billions of dollars in food assistance to tens of millions of low-income families across the country. SNAP applicants provide their private information on the understanding, backed by long-standing state and federal laws, that their information will not be used for unrelated purposes. Last month, Attorney General Bonta led a multistate coalition in suing USDA, arguing that its demand that states turn over SNAP data violates multiple federal privacy laws and the U.S. Constitution. Then, last week, Trump’s USDA threatened to cut off crucial administrative funding that states depend on to run the SNAP program if the states do not turn over the demanded data.

“We’re filing a motion to block the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to bully states into providing private SNAP participants’ data. Fear should not be a factor when signing up for SNAP benefits to feed your family. The Trump Administration’s own statements contradict its claims that this data is necessary to combat ‘waste, fraud, and abuse.’ We’re asking the court to prevent USDA from withholding vital funding in retaliation for states refusing to meet its unlawful demands." – AG Bonta