A group of Democratic attorneys general is squaring up for a courtroom showdown to stop the Trump administration from accessing personal data on millions of food stamp recipients, claiming it’s a power grab dressed up as program oversight. Led by California’s Rob Bonta and New York’s Letitia James, alongside 19 other prosecutors, the coalition filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to halt the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) demand for sensitive information on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries.

The move is the latest in a string of legal challenges from Democrats aiming to derail Trump’s agenda, court documents reveal. “This unprecedented demand that states turn over SNAP data violates all kinds of state and federal privacy laws and further breaks the trust between the federal government and the people it serves,” Bonta declared in a statement, swinging hard at the administration’s plan.

“While President Donald Trump may be comfortable breaking promises to the American people, California is not,” Bonta added, doubling down. “We will not comply with this illegal demand. We’ll see the President in court.”

The Democratic AGs argue the USDA’s data grab is less about SNAP oversight and more about pushing Trump’s goals, including immigration enforcement. They claim the requested data—covering everything from immigration status to other personal details—is a step toward building a surveillance state.

“Defendants’ demands for SNAP data from states do not occur in a vacuum, but rather in the context of a number of similar moves by federal agencies to obtain and disclose highly sensitive [Personal Identifying Information], not for program purposes, but for the creation of a surveillance system to advance the President’s agenda, including by facilitating the President’s mass deportation efforts,” the lawsuit contends.

The lawsuit asks the court to slap down the USDA’s demand as unlawful and block the Trump administration from tying SNAP funding to compliance. It also seeks to prevent SNAP data from being shared with the Department of Government Efficiency or immigration authorities for anything beyond program administration.

SNAP, a cornerstone federal aid program, supports nearly 42 million Americans monthly—over 12% of the population—according to a 2024 USDA report. The program, funded federally but run through state partnerships with the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, is a lifeline for low-income households.

In May, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that states must share all SNAP-related records with the federal government, a move pitched as a way to root out fraud and overpayments. The data request covers records from January 2020 onward.

“President Trump is rightfully requiring the federal government to have access to all programs it funds,” Rollins said, defending the policy. “For years, this program has been on autopilot, with no USDA insight into real-time data.”

The Trump administration ties the effort to Executive Order 14243, signed March 20, which mandates agency heads to ensure the federal government has full access to data from state-run, federally funded programs.

Trump’s Crackdown on Welfare Fraud Strikes a Chord with Americans

President Donald Trump’s push to clean up waste and fraud in social welfare programs like SNAP is hitting home with everyday Americans fed up with government inefficiency. From Main Street to the heartland, the call for accountability in programs doling out taxpayer dollars is resonating louder than a foghorn at a county fair.

The USDA’s demand for comprehensive SNAP data, as outlined in Executive Order 14243, is part of a mission to ensure welfare programs serve those who truly need them, not freeloaders gaming the system. With SNAP costing taxpayers $119.4 billion in 2022 alone, according to the Pew Research Center, Americans are cheering efforts to plug the leaks in a program that’s ballooned far beyond its original scope. The idea of tightening the reins—whether by catching overpayments or sniffing out fraud—has folks nodding in approval, especially when they’re pinching pennies at the grocery store themselves.

A 2024 Rasmussen Reports survey found 62% of Americans support stricter oversight of welfare programs, with 58% specifically backing measures to curb SNAP abuse. The numbers don’t lie: people are tired of hearing about welfare dollars misspent while their own budgets get squeezed by inflation and rising costs. Trump’s no-nonsense approach—demanding real-time data to track every SNAP dollar—feels like a breath of fresh air to those who’ve long suspected the system’s been running on autopilot, as USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins put it.

This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about fairness. Working-class Americans, the backbone of the nation, don’t want their hard-earned tax dollars padding the pockets of those who don’t play by the rules. The Trump administration’s focus on verifying eligibility and immigration status for SNAP recipients taps into a deep frustration with programs that seem to prioritize bureaucracy over accountability. When Rollins says the goal is to “detect overpayments and fraud,” it’s music to the ears of folks who believe welfare should be a hand-up, not a handout.

The backlash from Democratic attorneys general, led by the likes of Bonta and James, only fuels the fire. Their lawsuit, filed in California’s federal court, paints Trump’s data request as a sinister plot to build a “surveillance system.” But to many Americans, this sounds like the same old scare tactics from a crowd more interested in protecting red tape than ensuring taxpayer money is well spent. The claim that Trump’s after immigrants’ data to fuel deportations might rally the progressive base, but it’s falling flat with the majority who see it as a distraction from the real issue: keeping welfare honest.

What’s driving this resonance? It’s the economy, stupid. With food prices up 25% since 2020, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, families are feeling the pinch. They want a government that’s as frugal with their money as they have to be at home. Trump’s push to scrutinize SNAP aligns with his “America First” ethos—cut the waste, protect the taxpayer, and make sure aid goes to citizens who genuinely need it. That message is landing like a perfectly thrown fastball with voters who backed him in 2024.

Even the naysayers can’t deny the numbers. The USDA’s own data shows SNAP error rates, while low at 1.5% in recent years, still translate to billions in misallocated funds over time. That’s money that could be feeding actual hungry families or, better yet, staying in taxpayers’ wallets. When 42 million people—12% of the U.S. population—are on SNAP, even small improvements in efficiency can have a massive impact. Americans get that, and they’re behind Trump’s effort to make sure every dollar counts.

The fight over SNAP data is just the opening act. Trump’s welfare reform agenda, including work requirements and tighter eligibility rules, is gaining traction. A 2025 Gallup poll showed 55% of Americans favor work requirements for able-bodied SNAP recipients, a policy Trump pushed in his first term and is likely to revive. It’s a simple idea: if you can work, you should. That principle resonates with a nation built on grit and self-reliance, not endless government checks.

Critics like Bonta cry foul, claiming these reforms hurt the vulnerable. But the public’s not buying it. They see through the rhetoric to the reality: a system that’s been gamed for too long. Stories of SNAP cards used for luxury items or sold for cash, while anecdotal, stick in the craw of hardworking folks. Trump’s pledge to root out such abuse—whether through data transparency or stricter enforcement—feels like a promise kept to the forgotten American taxpayer.

The road ahead won’t be smooth. The Democratic lawsuit could tie up the USDA’s plans in court for months, and progressive groups are already rallying to paint Trump as the Grinch stealing food from the poor. But the tide of public opinion is turning. Americans want a welfare system that’s fair, efficient, and focused on those who truly need help.

As always, sound off in the comments below with your thoughts about this Trump admin initiative to cut down on welfare abuse.