Judge Rules US Cannot Force States to Provide SNAP Recipient Data

Tentative ruling blocks Trump administration's demand for detailed information on food aid program applicants

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A federal judge in San Francisco has tentatively ruled that the Trump administration cannot force states to hand over detailed information on people who have applied for or received aid from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The judge said she intends to issue an order blocking the administration's latest demands for the data, which it claims is needed to prevent fraud and waste.

Why it matters

This ruling is a victory for states, many with Democratic governors, that argued the data request was an attempt to share information with immigration enforcement authorities, which they say would be illegal. SNAP is a major social safety net program helping millions of Americans buy groceries, and the administration's push for more data has been seen as part of a broader effort to cut off federal funding to Democratic-led states.

The details

Last year, Judge Maxine Chesney blocked the U.S. Department of Agriculture from requiring states to provide data on SNAP applicants and recipients, including their immigration status, after 22 states sued. The department then told states in December that it would stop paying state administrative costs for the program if they didn't comply, and issued new protocols for securing the data, which the states rejected. The federal government argued the previous ruling did not apply to its latest demands, but Chesney said during a hearing on Friday that she intends to issue an order saying the government cannot act on those letters to the states.

  • In December 2025, the USDA told states it would stop paying administrative costs if they didn't provide SNAP recipient data.
  • In 2025, Judge Maxine Chesney blocked the USDA from requiring states to provide data on SNAP applicants and recipients.

The players

Judge Maxine Chesney

A U.S. District Judge in San Francisco who issued a tentative ruling blocking the Trump administration's latest demands for detailed SNAP recipient data from states.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

The federal agency that oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and had been pushing states to provide detailed data on SNAP applicants and recipients, including their immigration status.

22 states

A group of states, many with Democratic governors, that sued the USDA last year over its initial demand for SNAP recipient data.

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What’s next

Judge Chesney said she intends to issue a formal order blocking the administration's latest demands for SNAP recipient data from states.

The takeaway

This ruling is a setback for the Trump administration's efforts to obtain detailed information on SNAP recipients, which it has framed as an anti-fraud measure but which states have argued could be used for immigration enforcement purposes. The decision preserves the privacy of millions of Americans who rely on food assistance and underscores the ongoing tensions between federal and state governments over social safety net programs.