WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has declared its intention to restrict SNAP food aid to recipients in Democratic-led states starting next week, unless those states submit detailed information about recipients.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins highlighted that the lack of compliance from these states was prompting the administration's harsh stance. She contended that the requested data, namely the names and immigration status of beneficiaries, is essential for identifying fraud within the SNAP program. In response, several Democratic-controlled states have filed lawsuits against this requirement, defending their existing processes for verifying eligibility without sharing sensitive information at such a scale.
Marissa Saldivar, a spokesperson for California's Governor Gavin Newsom, expressed doubt over the administration's follow-through, stating, “We no longer take the Trump Administration’s words at face value — we’ll see what they actually do in reality.” She criticized the potential cuts to essential food programs as morally unacceptable.
Currently, approximately 42 million lower-income Americans depend on SNAP to purchase groceries, with these benefits averaging about $190 monthly per person. Rollins indicated that preliminary data from compliant states revealed concerning instances of individuals fraudulently receiving benefits, including hundreds of deceased persons.
Democratic leaders swiftly responded to Rollins’ announcement, labeling the administration’s motives as politically driven attempts to undermine social assistance programs. They argue that targeting vulnerable populations who rely on such aid for necessities is a harmful and vindictive tactic.
Furthermore, this move comes amidst a backdrop of expanded work requirements for SNAP beneficiaries, which have recently sparked considerable political debate. The success of the administration’s initiatives and its implications on food security remain contested, with leaders from various states pushing back against perceived threats to essential support systems.
