A coalition of more than 20 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the Trump administration from expanding federal access to the personal information of millions of Americans who receive welfare benefits through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, challenges a rule issued by the U.S. Administration for Children and Families that would permit broader sharing of recipients’ immigration status, Social Security numbers and other personal information with other federal agencies and, potentially, private entities.
State attorneys general argue the policy exceeds the federal government’s authority and undermines the privacy protections afforded to families relying on public assistance.
The political news that affects your wallet, your rights and your vote, broken down in plain language. Free in your inbox.
“Instead of helping families struggling with the rising cost of living, this administration is trying to turn antipoverty programs against the people they’re supposed to serve,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement announcing the lawsuit.
Privacy concerns at center of challenge
The legal challenge marks the latest dispute between Democratic-led states and the Trump administration over federal oversight of public assistance programs, which administration officials have increasingly scrutinized for potential fraud and improper payments.
According to the complaint, the rule would allow the federal government to collect and distribute sensitive personal data from participants in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program without sufficient legal safeguards.
The coalition argues the policy could expose millions of low-income families to unnecessary government surveillance while discouraging eligible individuals from seeking benefits.
The Administration for Children and Families, which oversees the TANF program, declined to comment on the litigation.
Administration cites fraud concerns
Earlier this year, the Trump administration sought to withhold TANF and other federal assistance funding from several Democratic-controlled states after asserting there was “reason to believe” benefits had been provided to people living in the country illegally.
A federal judge later blocked that effort, and government attorneys subsequently acknowledged the move was largely prompted by media reports alleging potential fraud rather than findings from completed investigations.
The Trump administration has consistently argued that strengthening oversight of federal assistance programs is necessary to reduce waste, fraud and abuse.
TANF provides billions in aid
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program distributes more than $16 billion annually through block grants to states, the District of Columbia and tribal governments.
States have broad flexibility in how they use those funds, including providing direct cash assistance, employment services, child care assistance and job training programs for low-income families.
The lawsuit was filed by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
The governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania also joined the legal challenge.
The states are asking the court to prevent the rule from taking effect while the case proceeds, arguing that the expanded data-sharing policy could cause irreparable harm to millions of Americans who rely on public assistance.
