Hailey
TOPEKA — The federal government is once again pressuring the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) to hand over confidential information related to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients.
A letter sent on July 9, 2025, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) demanded that Kansas respond by July 30, reigniting a legal and ethical debate over privacy.
The request specifically seeks Social Security numbers, residential addresses, and other personally identifiable data of individuals enrolled in the federally funded food assistance program.
According to Jenalea Randall, a spokeswoman for DCF, the agency is currently reviewing the request and assessing its legality and purpose.
“Our duty to safeguard this information is critical,” Randall emphasized. “Such data can only be shared with the USDA under narrowly defined program-related justifications.”
Trump-Era Executive Order Behind the Push
This latest push stems from an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, which directed all federal agencies to obtain data from state-run programs that receive federal funding.
In line with this order, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins issued the formal request demanding sensitive information.
Despite assurances from USDA officials that any data collection would comply with federal law, the administration’s renewed effort to gather personal data has sparked serious concerns over privacy rights and legal compliance.
Lawsuit Filed to Block USDA Request
In response to the USDA’s demand, multiple advocacy groups have taken legal action. Organizations including the Electronic Privacy Information Center, National Student Legal Defense Network, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and individual SNAP recipients and students, are challenging the USDA in court.
On Thursday, July 17, 2025, a motion was filed seeking a temporary restraining order to block the USDA’s latest data collection attempt. The plaintiffs argue that the demand violates the Privacy Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
“This administration is attempting to circumvent legal safeguards,” said Madeline Wiseman, legal counsel for the National Student Legal Defense Network. “Despite courtroom promises to follow due process, the USDA continues to ignore legal constraints outside the courtroom.”
Previous Data Request Already Denied by Kansas
The USDA first attempted to obtain this information in May 2025, but Kansas officials declined to comply. In a letter to a third-party data provider, Carla Whiteside-Hicks, director of Economic and Employment Services at DCF, clearly stated that the state could not authorize the release due to unclear justification from the USDA.
“We are unable to consent to this data transfer until we understand the purpose behind the USDA’s request,” Whiteside-Hicks explained in the letter.
Court Hearing Scheduled Amid Ongoing Dispute
The legal case is progressing swiftly. According to Randall, a court hearing is scheduled for July 23, 2025, where a judge will evaluate the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order against the USDA.
This hearing will determine whether the federal government can proceed with its latest efforts to collect and centralize data on SNAP recipients — or if the court will block these actions pending the outcome of the broader lawsuit.
Broader Efforts to Access Sensitive State Data
This issue isn’t isolated to SNAP records. The Trump administration, through the Department of Justice (DOJ), is also pursuing access to voter registration data, further intensifying national concerns over data misuse and surveillance.
However, according to Whitney Tempel, spokeswoman for Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the DOJ has not made any direct requests for voter data in Kansas.
“We’ve had discussions around general voter roll maintenance,” Tempel said via email. “But there’s been no official request for access to Kansas’ voter registration information.”
The renewed federal demand for private information about SNAP recipients in Kansas highlights the ongoing tension between federal mandates and state-level privacy protections.
With legal advocates and state officials pushing back, the outcome of the upcoming court hearing could have significant implications for data privacy across the U.S.
This clash underscores a broader struggle over government transparency, data control, and constitutional rights in the age of digitized public records.