White House Moves to Cut SNAP Funding to 21 States

The Trump administration is threatening to cut funding for food assistance to millions of Americans in Democratic-led states, escalating a standoff over a controversial demand for personal data tied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday that the federal government will begin withholding SNAP funds from 21 states—including California, New York, and Minnesota—because they refused to provide recipient names and immigration statuses, as requested by the Agriculture Department earlier this year, NBC News reports. Rollins argued the data is needed to "root out ... fraud," and said 29 Republican-led states have already complied. However, the AP reports an Ag Department spokeperson later clarified the administration is targeting the funds used to administer the program, not the benefits themselves.

"So as of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states, until they comply and they tell us and allow us to partner with them to root out this fraud and to protect the American taxpayer," Rollins said at a White House meeting. Nearly 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance. The administration's move drew sharp criticism from officials in the affected states. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul questioned the administration's motives, asking on social media why it was "so hellbent on people going hungry." Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison described the threat as an effort to "punish ... political rivals," and pointed out that a federal court has already barred the administration from withholding SNAP funding over data-sharing disputes. Ellison called the renewed threat "nothing short of ridiculous."

Earlier this year, 21 states and the District of Columbia sued to block the data requirement, arguing it was an attempt by the federal government to collect and potentially misuse sensitive personal information. They cited existing data-sharing agreements between the IRS, the Department of Health and Human Services, and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A federal judge in San Francisco issued a preliminary injunction in October preventing the Trump administration from cutting off SNAP funds to noncompliant states. The Agriculture Department has until Dec. 15 to decide whether to appeal the ruling, but the judge has already denied a request to pause the injunction while an appeal is considered.

While the federal government pays the full cost of SNAP benefits, it splits the cost of administering the program with states. It's not clear what impact the loss of federal administrative funds for SNAP might have, but some advocates are concerned that if the cost of administering the program becomes too high, some states may opt out of the program. The dispute comes on the heels of a historic government shutdown that briefly halted SNAP funding and left many recipients without food. The shutdown's end also brought an end to a related Supreme Court challenge over the administration's authority to withhold the funds.