Raoul Seeks to Block USDA SNAP Data Demand

CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, joined by 21 other attorneys general and the state of Kentucky, filed a motion to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from requiring states to share sensitive data on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients while a lawsuit challenging the demand is pending. The Trump administration’s USDA has threatened to withhold administrative funding if states do not turn over information such as Social Security numbers, addresses and shopping histories. Raoul and other attorneys general argue the move violates federal privacy laws and the Constitution, and say it could deter families from seeking benefits. SNAP, which provides food assistance to nearly 2 million Illinois residents, has long operated without states being required to release personal data of applicants and recipients.