PENNSYLVANIA (WHP) — The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Pennsylvania, as officials say the state has refused to share its last five years of SNAP applicant data to the federal government.
Kentucky, Michigan and Minnesota were all sued in separate filings for the same reason, according to a release from the DOJ.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requested this information from all 50 states in June 2025 as part of efforts to curb fraud and overspending in social service programs.
“These four states are thwarting USDA’s efforts to ensure that the billions of dollars in SNAP benefits they distribute every year are not lost to fraud,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a release. “It’s unacceptable, suspicious, and it will not stand under this administration.”
According to data collected last year, the USDA said there could be billions of dollars per year in SNAP funds going to overpayment and fraud.
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Nearly two million Pennsylvanians receive SNAP benefits, according to the state’s Department of Human Services. Over half of the recipients are children or older adults.