The Department of Agriculture is making an unprecedented demand for states to provide personal data of food assistance recipients, including Social Security numbers, addresses, and even citizenship status. This request aligns with the Trump administration’s efforts to collect and centralize sensitive data, which has been used for making misleading claims about immigrants accessing public benefits and for enhancing deportation capabilities.

The request specifically targets data related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), serving an average of 42 million people monthly at a cost of $100 billion in 2024. This move has raised concerns among experts and advocates, with warnings that the data could be misused for deportation and surveillance purposes, rather than addressing improper payments effectively.

The USDA’s directive, which includes requesting personally identifiable information for SNAP applicants and recipients, follows an executive order emphasizing the need to access comprehensive data from state programs receiving federal funding. The role of the Department of Government Efficiency team (DOGE) in accessing sensitive data across agencies has also raised privacy and legal concerns.

Fraud and abuse in SNAP benefits are rare, with a small percentage attributed to citizenship eligibility issues. However, the aggressive data collection and potential misuse of information have sparked fears among immigrant communities and advocates. It remains crucial for SNAP participants to understand the implications of sharing their data, especially in light of the USDA’s extensive data requests and the broader implications for immigrant families and their access to essential services.

As states grapple with these data demands, concerns about privacy, potential misuse, and the impact on vulnerable populations continue to grow. Advocates emphasize the importance of informed decision-making and seeking guidance before sharing personal information in the current data collection landscape.