By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona State Representative Nick Kupper (R-LD25) issued a warning to Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes, demanding they stop blocking the release of SNAP program data required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to maintain federal funding for Arizona’s food assistance program.
In a letter dated December 3, 2025, Rep. Kupper highlighted last week’s explicit statement from U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that any state refusing to share SNAP data with the federal government will lose funding for the program.
The data is essential for verifying eligibility, preventing fraud, and ensuring taxpayer dollars reach only those who qualify. Arizona now joins a handful of states facing funding penalties due to the officials’ actions, which include an ongoing lawsuit by Attorney General Mayes to block the data release.
“Twenty-nine states said yes, not surprisingly, the red states, and that’s where all of that data, that fraud, comes from. But 21 states, including California, New York, and Minnesota – blue states – continue to say no,” said Rollins. “So as of next week, we have and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply, and they tell us and allow us to partner with them to root out this fraud and to protect the American taxpayer.”
Rep. Kupper’s letter emphasized that “political maneuvering” ahead of an election year must not endanger a program serving Arizona’s most vulnerable residents. He urged both Democratic leaders to “set aside the partisan divide and do the right thing.”
“Families who follow the rules and rely on SNAP to get through the week should not be put at risk because the Governor and Attorney General are choosing political fights,” Rep. Kupper said. “The federal government has made the requirement clear. If Arizona refuses to comply, our state risks losing SNAP funding altogether. That outcome would punish people who legitimately need help. Governor Hobbs and Attorney General Mayes should reverse course and release the data, so Arizona families are not left paying the price.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
