Colorado along with 19 other states and Washington, D.C., on Monday filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins arguing that the federal agency’s demand that they hand over personal information — including social security numbers and home addresses — of individuals who rely on a government food assistance program is unconstitutional.
The USDA in May told states to provide personal information about people who have applied for or received aid from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, which helps close to 615,000 Colorado residents regularly access food.
The federal agency has indicated it could withhold funding from states that do not comply. Colorado is slated to get $96 million this year to implement SNAP, according to a news release from Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office.
The federal agency’s threat to withhold SNAP funding would create widespread hunger in Colorado and put lives at risk, Weiser said.
“It’s going to jeopardize people’s health and their lives,” he said. “It would be manifestly cruel and wrong to withhold this money for people who need it for food security and for their ability to live both healthy lives and stay alive.”
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