The Trump administration has come under fire by requiring states to submit detailed personal information of all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to the federal government. The action impacts more than 40 million low-income Americans who receive food benefits, with privacy, program integrity, and possible immigration enforcement concerns.
The new directive: Sharing all SNAP data
President Trump signed on 20 March, 2025, Executive Order No. 14243 known as Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos. This requires all government agencies to reveal complex information to the authorities so they could exercise further control to prevent fraud.
As a result of this, on May 6, 2025, the USDA stated that states are now required to transmit all records pertaining to SNAP benefits to the federal government. This encompasses personally identifiable information such as names, dates of birth, home addresses, Social Security numbers, and detailed benefit histories over time.
Gina Brand, chief policy advisor of USDA for integrity, underscored the destruction of “information silos” through which states, districts, and third-party processors carry redundant SNAP information to achieve program integrity as well as administrative law.
Why this matters: Program integrity or privacy threat?
The government asserts that this exchange of information will assist in identifying and preventing waste, fraud, and abuse in SNAP so that benefits reach only eligible recipients. As SNAP is funded completely by the federal government, the government contends it has a right to access all such information to facilitate proper utilization of funds.
But critics alert that this enormous pool of sensitive information raises serious privacy issues. The information comprises not just recipients but also rich transaction histories, which can be used for uses other than program tracking.
Immigration enforcement concerns
NPR states that the Department of Government Efficiency, which is a department of the federal government, is incorporating SNAP data into other databases to develop immigration enforcement tools. Since SNAP only involves eligible recipients, like U.S. citizens and legal residents, there is a possibility that some of these recipients may co-reside with or be relatives of illegal immigrants.
The threat of deportation using SNAP data has jolted proponents and recipients alike, warning that it will initiate family disruption and deter worthy families from claiming the benefit.
Public reaction and impact
Millions of households rely on SNAP for survival-level nutrition. Recipients report feeling singled out by the administration’s aggressive data requests and strict eligibility enforcement. Activists indicate most recipients of SNAP are law-abiding citizens truly in need, not cheats.
The action follows earlier Trump administration policies to limit SNAP eligibility and roll back the program’s scope, resulting in hundreds of thousands losing food assistance.
Read more: Goodbye to CSFP aid for millions of food seniors – These are the “MAHA food boxes” Trump wants to offer in return
Read more: How do I know if I have cash benefits from SNAP Payment on my EBT card?
