Judge Blocks US Effort to Compel States to Share SNAP Recipient Data

Federal government cannot force states to hand over detailed information on SNAP applicants and recipients, judge rules.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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A federal judge in San Francisco has blocked the Trump administration's efforts to force states to provide detailed information on people who have applied for or received benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The judge said she intends to issue an order prohibiting the federal government from acting on its previous demands for the data, which the administration claims is needed to stamp out fraud and waste in the program.

Why it matters

This ruling is a victory for states, many of which argued the data request was an attempt to share information with immigration enforcement authorities, which they say would be illegal. SNAP is a major part of the U.S. social safety net, helping about 42 million Americans buy groceries, and the administration's push to obtain detailed recipient data has raised concerns about potential misuse.

The details

Last year, 22 states sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture after it required states to provide data on SNAP applicants and recipients, including information on their immigration status. The judge blocked the department from enforcing that policy. However, the department continued to push for the data, telling states in December it would stop paying state administrative costs for the program if they didn't comply. The states rejected the department's new protocols for securing the data.

  • In December 2025, the USDA told states it would stop paying administrative costs if they didn't provide SNAP recipient data.
  • In February 2026, the judge said she intends to issue an order prohibiting the federal government from acting on its previous demands for the SNAP data.

The players

Maxine Chesney

A U.S. District Judge in San Francisco who previously blocked the USDA from requiring states to provide detailed SNAP recipient data and intends to issue a new order affirming that the federal government cannot compel states to share this information.

Trump administration

The previous administration under President Donald Trump, which sought to obtain detailed data on SNAP applicants and recipients, including their immigration status, claiming it was needed to prevent fraud and waste in the program.

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 recipients, including threatening to withhold administrative funding if states did not comply.

22 states

A group of states that sued the USDA last year after it required them to provide data on SNAP applicants and recipients, including information on their immigration status.

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What they’re saying

“The federal government cannot act on its letters to the states from last year.”

— Maxine Chesney, U.S. District Judge

What’s next

The judge is expected to issue a formal order in the coming days affirming that the federal government cannot compel states to provide detailed SNAP recipient data.

The takeaway

This ruling is a significant victory for states, many of which argued the administration's data request was an attempt to share information with immigration enforcement authorities, which they say would be illegal. The decision preserves the privacy of SNAP recipients and prevents the potential misuse of this sensitive data.