Post by : Meena Ariff

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has issued a warning that 21 Democratic-led states could face cuts to federally funded SNAP programs if they do not comply with data-sharing requests regarding assistance recipients.

In her remarks during the last cabinet meeting of the year, Rollins underlined that the request for sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, birth dates, and addresses, aims to deter fraud and safeguard taxpayer interests. She suggested that states like California, New York, and Minnesota are refusing compliance for political reasons.

“Twenty-nine states agreed to cooperate—those being the red states,” Rollins shared. “However, 21 blue states have rejected the request. Consequently, federal aid will be halted next week until they comply.”

Legal barriers have already hindered the administration’s data acquisition efforts. Courts in California issued temporary restraining orders, raising alarms about privacy issues and potential mass surveillance. California Attorney General Rob Bonta labeled the initiative as “a hijacking of a nutrition program for mass surveillance purposes.”

Democratic officials condemned the announcement, asserting it weaponizes food security. Members of the House Agriculture Committee noted that SNAP has one of the government's lowest fraud rates, yet alleged that Trump seeks to exploit hunger for political gain.

Rollins defended the initiative online, stating, “NO DATA, NO MONEY,” and making unsubstantiated claims that states might be harboring “bribery schemes.”

Previous threats to suspend SNAP benefits during government shutdowns had been overturned by court orders mandating the resumption of funding. Critics argue that the current administration is leveraging food assistance programs to coerce Democratic legislators in budget negotiations.

#Political News #World News