Kansas AG Kobach Sues Governor Kelly Over SNAP Data Refusal

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit against Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Children and Families to compel the release of personal data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to the federal government. Kobach and other Republican leaders argue that withholding this data risks the loss of $10.4 million in federal funding and accuse Kelly's administration of obstructing efforts to address waste, fraud, and abuse within the program. The Kansas Department for Children and Families, led by Secretary Laura Howard, has refused to provide names, Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses of about 730,000 SNAP recipients, citing concerns over data privacy and legal liability. The federal government, under President Donald Trump's administration, seeks this information to build a database aimed at ensuring program integrity. Kelly's office has characterized Kobach's lawsuit as political theater, while Republicans emphasize legal obligations and the need to protect vulnerable Kansans. This dispute highlights tensions between state privacy concerns and federal efforts to enforce accountability in public assistance programs.