DOJ Sues Four States to Compel Five Years of SNAP Applicant Data

Overview

• The Department of Justice filed lawsuits on June 27 against Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Minnesota seeking court orders to force state agencies to hand over five years of SNAP applicant records.
• USDA first requested the same data last year and reported that 28 jurisdictions complied while several states refused to provide the records.
• The agencies say analysis of the data from compliant states showed billions of dollars per year in likely overpayments and fraud, prompting a renewed federal request in May that the four sued states again declined.
• Top DOJ and USDA officials framed the litigation as needed to stop ongoing waste and ensure taxpayer transparency, and news outlets have begun seeking comment from the sued states as court responses develop.
• SNAP is federally funded but run by states, and USDA says access to individual applicant records is central to its oversight role to verify state eligibility decisions and to detect improper payments.