AG Kaul joins lawsuit challenging Trump Administration’s demand that states release sensitive information on SNAP recipients

WISCONSIN (CIVIC MEDIA) – Attorney General Josh Kaul joined a coalition composed of attorney generals from several states in suing the Trump Administration for demanding that states release personal information on residents that receive SNAP benefits.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made the demand in May, ordering states to turn over sensitive information on recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including social security numbers and addresses. SNAP, known as FoodShare in Wisconsin, assists millions of low-income families across the state in purchasing food. Attorney General Kaul argues the Trump Administration’s directive disregards several federal privacy laws and exceeds the USDA’s statutory authority, among other violations.

“Sensitive information about people shouldn’t be turned over to the federal government simply because they applied for or received assistance through SNAP,” Attorney General Kaul said in a statement. “It’s troubling that the federal government is working to compile this
kind of information.”

Attorney General Kaul estimates that the Trump Administration could have access to personal, identifying information of nearly one million Wisconsin residents from 2024’s SNAP data alone if the administration’s demands are allowed to stand. The federal government claims the order is to “prevent fraud and abuse”. Attorney General Kaul maintains that their actions are for the purpose of amassing a sizeable database of the American people’s personal information that will be used to further President Trump’s undisclosed agenda.

The coalition has requested that the federal court declare the demands unlawful and block the federal government from proceeding with the directive. The full complaint filed by the coalition can be viewed here.