The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) is pressuring states to surrender the personal data of food stamp recipients, including Social Security numbers, home addresses, and in some cases, citizenship status, according to emails obtained by NPR.
This demand, described as “absolutely alarming” and “reckless” by privacy attorney John Davisson, signals an aggressive push by the Trump administration to centralize sensitive data.
“It is an unprecedented extension of the administration’s campaign to consolidate personal data,” Davisson said.
The request, tied to an executive order on eliminating information silos, aligns with efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which is collecting data from across federal agencies to flag fraud and support deportations.
“What they’re building is a surveillance weapon,” Davisson warned.
The USDA’s request to states and contractors like Fidelity Information Services seeks details on SNAP recipients dating back to 2020, prioritizing identifiers such as names, addresses, and citizenship status over financial eligibility metrics. Critics argue this approach could lead to exaggerated fraud claims while creating fear among immigrant communities.
“People seeking services need to know that their information will be used only to administer the program,” said Tanya Broder of the National Immigration Law Center.
SNAP served 42 million people in 2024, yet improper payments due to citizenship issues accounted for only about one percent. Many eligible immigrants avoid benefits due to fear of consequences. Esther Reyes of Protecting Immigrant Families urges states to assess the legality of the data demand and said, “We really encourage families and communities to talk to enrollment workers and the people that they trust before acting on that fear.”
