Attorney General William Tong is seeking a preliminary injunction to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from forcing states to share private data of SNAP participants, including social security numbers and shopping history. USDA is threatening to cut off administrative funding if states do not comply, which AG Tong argues violates federal privacy laws and the Constitution.
Seeking a court order to prevent USDA from demanding SNAP participant data and from withholding administrative funding from states.
In-house legal teams should review all federal grant agreements, intergovernmental agreements, and data processing contracts related to the administration of federally funded, state-run programs like SNAP. Key clauses to scrutinize include data sharing and disclosure provisions, confidentiality obligations, representations regarding compliance with federal privacy statutes, and any terms linking funding to data submission. Teams must assess whether contract terms permit the broad data demand (including SSNs and shopping history) and evaluate the risk of funding termination for non-compliance. Potential changes could involve negotiating data protection addendums, clarifying permissible uses of participant data, or seeking amendments to funding condition clauses to prevent coercion and ensure alignment with constitutional and statutory privacy requirements.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture
Also known as: USDA
Industry
OtherOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2025-press-releases/ag-tong-seeks-court-order-over-private-data-of-snap-participants
snap pi.pdf?rev=b8f27c3a8e0f407eb532b18ecfd20617&hash=01BE11
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2025/snap_pi.pdf?rev=b8f27c3a8e0f407eb532b18ecfd20617&hash=01BE11DD1C115674327070CE41BE93DB
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
"U.S. Department of Agriculture"
"violates multiple federal privacy laws and the U.S. Constitution"
"turn over massive amounts of personal information on all SNAP applicants and recipients, including their social security numbers, home addresses, and even their shopping history dating back five years"
Consumer protection and civil rights lawsuit filed by Oregon AG and 20 other states against the U.S. Department of Agriculture over unlawful funding conditions that coerce states into complying with policies unrelated to nutrition programs. The conditions relate to immigration, DEI, and gender identity, and are alleged to violate the Spending Clause and Administrative Procedure Act. The suit seeks to block these conditions to protect billions in funding for programs like SNAP, WIC, and school lunches that serve vulnerable populations.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell secured a preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court blocking the Trump Administration's USDA from cutting off SNAP funding to states that refuse to turn over personal data of SNAP applicants and recipients. The court found USDA's proposed data protocol unlawful because it allowed sharing data with entities unrelated to federal benefits administration.
Attorney General Raoul secured a court order preventing the U.S. Department of Agriculture from collecting SNAP applicants' and recipients' personal data without an agreed-upon protocol that restricts sharing with unrelated entities like the Department of Homeland Security. The court found that the USDA's proposed protocol would violate federal law by allowing data use for immigration enforcement, contrary to the intended purpose of SNAP.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta secured a second preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California blocking the Trump Administration's demand that states turn over personal data of SNAP applicants and recipients. The court found the USDA's proposed data protocol would allow sharing of state data with entities unrelated to federal benefits administration, violating federal law.
Consumer protection case where Oregon AG Dan Rayfield led a multi-state lawsuit to block USDA guidance that unlawfully restricts SNAP eligibility for legal immigrants, arguing it contradicts federal law and could cause wrongful benefit terminations.
Attorney General William Tong, leading a coalition of 22 states, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture for demanding that states disclose sensitive personal data of SNAP recipients. The demand violates federal privacy laws and the Constitution, and threatens to withhold critical funding. The lawsuit seeks to block USDA from conditioning SNAP administrative funds on data disclosure.