CDT, the Leadership Conference’s Center for Civil Rights and Technology, and Protect Democracy have published an analysis that examines federal initiatives to increase access to state administrative data. The document explores the types of data managed by state-run programs, such as those used for public benefits administration, and provides examples of both historical and current federal efforts to obtain this information.
The analysis also reviews legal protections related to federal attempts to access state-held administrative data. It discusses possible future changes and impacts associated with expanded federal use and sharing of these records.
“In May, CDT and the Leadership Conference released our second fact sheet examining some of the core issues surrounding federal immigration authorities and DOGE’s access to and use of federal administrative data for immigration-related activities. Since then, the federal government has made grabs at state data to further fuel immigration enforcement, as part of a broader effort to consolidate data government-wide that threatens the privacy and security of data on people across the country,” according to the organizations.
The explainer highlights concerns about privacy and long-term effects as federal agencies seek more comprehensive access to sensitive information collected by states.