Trump officials threaten to withhold Snap funds from Democratic-led states | Trump administration
The Trump administration has threatened to suspend Snap food aid to several Democratic-led states unless they turn over recipient data to the federal government.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Tuesday that the USDA could begin blocking funds starting next week if Democratic-led states continue to deny federal requests for Snap buyer data that includes immigration status and Social Security numbers.
Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, Rollins said the USDA needed data from every state “to root out this fraud, to make sure that those who really need food stamps are getting them, and also to ensure that American taxpayers are protected.”
“Twenty-nine states said yes; red states, not surprisingly, and that’s where all this data, fraud comes from. But 21 states, including California, New York, and Minnesota, blue states, continue to say no. So starting next week, we’ve started to stop moving federal funds to those states, and we’re going to start stopping moving them to those states until they allow us to partner with them to eliminate this fraud and protect American taxpayers.”
In a separate statement to the Guardian, a USDA spokesperson said: “USDA has established a Snap integrity team to not only analyze data provided by states, but also to scrub all available information to end indiscriminate benefits fraud.
“Twenty-eight states and Guam have joined us in this fight, but states like California, New York, and Minnesota, as well as 19 other blue states, continue to fight us.”
The spokesperson added: “They are choosing to protect illegal individuals, criminals, and bad actors instead of American taxpayers. We have sent another data request to Democratic states, and if they do not comply, they will be given a formal warning that USDA will withdraw their administrative funds.”
The administration did not immediately release the full list of states that would be targeted under this plan.
In July, more than a dozen Democratic senators published a letter to Rollins. to call The administration’s attempt to create a database on recipients of federal food assistance is “an illegal invasion of privacy.”
The administration’s latest announcement, with the participation of New York’s Democratic governor Kathy Hochul, revived criticism of the plan. saying About X: “The real question: Why is the Trump administration so determined to let people go hungry?”
Likewise, Democrats on the House agriculture committee in question: “Again, Trump and Rollins are threatening to illegally withhold federal dollars. Snap has one of the lowest fraud rates of any government program, but Trump continues to use hunger as a weapon.”
Committee senior member Angie Craig echoed similar sentiments: saying: “Instead of addressing the rising cost of living, the Secretary is once again weaponizing hunger by placing political talking points over feeding seniors, children, veterans, and disabled Americans.
Craig called the Trump administration “as corrupt as it is lawless,” adding, “His disregard for the law and willingness to lie through his teeth comes from the top.”
Accordingly According to the Snap website, approximately 42 million people relied on the program each month in fiscal 2024; 67% of people participating in the program were a child, older adult, or adult with a disability.
Although Rollins before to call Snap program “highly corrupt,” 2023 USDA fact sheet reported “The majority of Snap benefits are used as intended.”
Of 261,770 authorized retailers that year, only 1,980 were disqualified, 561 were fined and 1,681 received warning letters.
