MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has joined a coalition in suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture over a policy requiring states to turn over personal data on millions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients.

The lawsuit argues the USDA’s demand violates federal privacy laws and constitutional protections. SNAP, known as FoodShare in Wisconsin, provides food assistance to more than 934,000 people statewide and is jointly administered by states and the federal government.

In May, USDA ordered states to submit sensitive data about program recipients, reportedly including Social Security numbers and addresses going back five years. States that refuse could lose administrative funding, according to the lawsuit.

Kaul called the request "troubling," citing long-standing laws that protect SNAP data from unrelated uses.

The coalition says the agency’s justification of fraud prevention is undermined by USDA’s own statements praising SNAP’s quality control. They also argue the mandate failed to go through required public comment procedures.

Joining Kaul are 21 other attorneys general and the governor of Kentucky. The lawsuit seeks to block the USDA from enforcing the directive or tying it to future program funding.