San Francisco, California - The Trump administration is being sued by a number of states for its attempts to obtain the personal data of those participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

On Monday, the Trump administration was sued by a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia in response to requests made by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which the suit seeks to block.

According to the lawsuit, the USDA violated federal privacy laws and the US Constitution by demanding the states hand over the sensitive personal information of millions of food stamp recipients.

USDA officials are attempting to collect information – including on recipients' immigration status – that can be used for unrelated purposes, per the lawsuit.

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"We’re filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration's illegal demand for SNAP recipients' personal information, including immigration status," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement on X.

"Families should be able to get the assistance they need without fearing that they will be targeted by this administration."

The USDA said in a legal filing in May that its attempt to obtain the data is part of its policy to streamline federal databases and reduce barriers between sections of the US government.

"Critical information necessary to uncover fraud in SNAP is spread across the fifty-three states and territories as well as several private contractors," the USDA legal filing read.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta declared in a press release on Monday that the Trump administration's attempt to access SNAP data "breaks the trust between the federal government and the people it serves."

"Trump continues to weaponize private and sensitive personal information – not to root out fraud, but to create a culture of fear where people are unwilling to apply for essential services," Bonta said.