A federal court has issued a second order preventing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from requiring states to share personal information about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants and recipients without proper data protections. The decision came from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, following ongoing legal challenges led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a coalition of other state attorneys general.
Attorney General Raoul emphasized concerns about the use of SNAP applicants’ data, stating, “The administration continues to make baseless claims about fighting fraud while at the same time stating this data will be used for another purpose entirely: to further their cruel and draconian immigration policies. Illinoisans who signed up for these benefits expected that their personal information would be protected, and I will continue to fight to do just that.”
In July 2025, Raoul and attorneys general from multiple states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. They argued that federal demands for SNAP applicant and recipient data violated federal law. The court initially granted a preliminary injunction after finding that statements made by the administration suggested an intent to use the collected data for purposes beyond overseeing federal benefit programs.
The most recent court ruling determined that the USDA cannot collect state records without a mutually agreed-upon protocol. The court found that states rightfully rejected a protocol proposed by the USDA because it would have allowed sharing of sensitive information with agencies not involved in administering federal benefits, including the Department of Homeland Security.
SNAP is a federally funded program administered by states, providing food assistance to millions of low-income families nationwide. Applicants provide private information with an expectation—supported by law—that it will not be used for unrelated reasons.
According to public reports since President Trump returned to office in 2025, there have been efforts by federal officials to build large databases containing Americans’ personal information, sometimes using it for undisclosed purposes such as immigration enforcement. Attempts by the USDA to obtain state-level SNAP data are seen as part of this broader effort.
The lawsuit against the USDA was joined by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin; Kentucky also participated.
The Illinois Attorney General’s office has advocated for vulnerable groups including workers and immigrants and handled thousands of consumer complaints each year (official website). Its work includes protecting consumers and promoting safer communities across Illinois (official website). The office partners with law enforcement agencies to support crime victims and offers services such as complaint filing related to consumer fraud or civil rights issues (official website).