Trump administration cannot force states to supply food stamp data, US judge rules
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from cutting off funding for 22 Democratic-led states that administer food stamp benefits unless they shared data on millions of recipients. The ruling prevents the funding freeze from going into effect while legal challenges proceed.
The case centers on the administration’s demand for access to detailed beneficiary information as a condition for continued funding, a move the states argued violated privacy and administrative law. The judge’s decision maintains the status quo pending further judicial review.
The ruling adds another legal setback for the administration in its efforts to leverage data requests tied to welfare programs, signaling ongoing tensions between federal funding conditions and state control over eligibility data.