U.S. SNAP enrollment declines amid data privacy legal challenges

Recent federal policy changes have led to a significant decline in SNAP participation across the United States. According to USDA data from April, overall enrollment fell nearly 13% year-over-year to just over 37 million people. This decline was widespread, with nearly every state reporting a drop in participants; half of all states saw declines of 10% or more. Arizona experienced the most substantial decrease, with participation dropping by more than half, while Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana also saw steep declines of over 20%.

Simultaneously, a legal challenge has been filed against the Department of Health and Human Services regarding the privacy of benefit recipient data. A coalition including Make the Road States, Common Cause, and the Electronic Privacy Information Center has sued the administration over policies that expand federal access to sensitive information from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The lawsuit specifically raises concerns about granting the Department of Homeland Security access to personal identifying information, such as Social Security numbers, which advocates argue could deter eligible individuals from applying for essential benefits.