Judge Blocks Trump Administration SNAP Funding Cuts Over Data Dispute
A federal judge barred the Trump administration from withholding SNAP funding after states sued over federal demands for detailed recipient data.
The Trump administration threatened to withhold Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding from states that refuse to provide detailed data on benefit recipients. The United States Department of Agriculture claims the data is essential to eliminate waste, stating it has already identified 500,000 duplicate recipients and 186,000 deceased individuals across 28 states.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined a multistate lawsuit to block the demand, characterizing the federal ultimatum as reckless and cruel. However, taxpayer advocate David Williams argued that the federal government is justified in seeking the information, noting that Maryland's 14% SNAP payment error rate puts the state at risk of losing $240 million in funding starting in 2027.
A federal judge subsequently issued a ruling barring the administration from cutting off funding while the legal challenge proceeds. Despite the injunction, local officials expressed concern over the financial implications. In New York's Clinton County, Administrator Christine Peters warned that the loss of federal funds could add over one million dollars to the local budget, especially as counties face a requirement to pay half of all administrative SNAP funding beginning in 2027.
