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Case: United States v. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

1:26-cv-01950 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

Filed Date: June 26, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

This is a case seeking to compel the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MHHS) to produce eligibility and benefit transaction records for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients within their state. On June 26, 2026, the United States sued MHHS in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (FNA). The United States argued that the FNA authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to requir…

This is a case seeking to compel the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MHHS) to produce eligibility and benefit transaction records for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients within their state. On June 26, 2026, the United States sued MHHS in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (FNA). The United States argued that the FNA authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to require states to provide all records necessary to ascertain their compliance with the FNA. Pursuant to Executive Order 14,243, aimed at “eliminat[ing] information silos”, the USDA requested the aforementioned records from MHHS, which declined to produce them. The United States sought a declaratory judgment and an injunction requiring MHHS to produce the requested records. 

The case was assigned to District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou.

On July 13, 2026, the United States moved for a preliminary injunction seeking to compel MHHS to produce the requested records. As of August 3, 2026, the Court has not ruled on the motion.

The case is ongoing.

 

Summary Authors

Sam Black (8/3/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73543214/parties/united-states-v-michigan-department-of-health-and-human-services/


Judge(s)

Jarbou, Hala Yalda (Michigan)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Cooper, Cadesby Brawner (Michigan)

Kim, Kyu Yun (Michigan)

Petrokas, Daniel Joseph (Michigan)

Attorney for Defendant

Giovanatti, Neil Anthony (Michigan)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Documents in this case
1

1:26-cv-01950

Complaint For Declaratory Judgment And Permanent Injunction

June 26, 2026

June 26, 2026

Complaint

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73543214/united-states-v-michigan-department-of-health-and-human-services/

Last updated Aug. 3, 2026, 11:57 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Elizabeth Hertel filed by United States of America (Attachments: # 1 Index Table of Contents, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit 1, # 4 Exhibit 2, # 5 Exhibit 3, # 6 Exhibit 4, # 7 Exhibit 5, # 8 Exhibit 6, # 9 Exhibit 7, # 10 Exhibit 8, # 11 Exhibit 9, # 12 Exhibit 10, # 13 Exhibit 11, # 14 Exhibit 12, # 15 Exhibit 13, # 16 Exhibit 14, # 17 Exhibit 15, # 18 Exhibit 16, # 19 Exhibit 17, # 20 Exhibit 18) (Trundle, Colin) Modified text on 6/29/2026 (ns). (Entered: 06/26/2026)

1 Index Table of Contents

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2 Exhibit A

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3 Exhibit 1

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4 Exhibit 2

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5 Exhibit 3

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6 Exhibit 4

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7 Exhibit 5

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8 Exhibit 6

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9 Exhibit 7

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10 Exhibit 8

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11 Exhibit 9

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12 Exhibit 10

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13 Exhibit 11

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14 Exhibit 12

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15 Exhibit 13

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16 Exhibit 14

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17 Exhibit 15

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18 Exhibit 16

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19 Exhibit 17

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20 Exhibit 18

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June 26, 2026

June 26, 2026

Clearinghouse
2

CORRECTED EXHIBIT A re 1 by plaintiff United States of America (Trundle, Colin) Modified text on 6/29/2026 (ns). (Entered: 06/27/2026)

June 27, 2026

June 27, 2026

3

PROPOSED SUMMONS to be issued re 1 (Trundle, Colin) (Entered: 06/29/2026)

June 29, 2026

June 29, 2026

4

NOTICE that this case has been assigned to Hala Y. Jarbou (ns) (Entered: 06/29/2026)

June 29, 2026

June 29, 2026

5

SUMMONS ISSUED as to defendants Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (ns) (Entered: 06/29/2026)

June 29, 2026

June 29, 2026

6

Amended EXHIBIT re 1 Exhibit A by plaintiff United States of America (Trundle, Colin) (Entered: 06/29/2026)

June 29, 2026

June 29, 2026

RECAP
7

NOTICE re 1 Amended Table of Contents by plaintiff United States of America (Trundle, Colin) (Entered: 06/29/2026)

June 29, 2026

June 29, 2026

RECAP

(NON-DOCUMENT) ATTORNEY APPEARANCE of Cadesby Brawner Cooper on behalf of plaintiff United States of America (Cooper, Cadesby)

June 30, 2026

June 30, 2026

Attorney Appearance

June 30, 2026

June 30, 2026

(NON-DOCUMENT) ATTORNEY APPEARANCE of Daniel Joseph Petrokas on behalf of plaintiff United States of America (Petrokas, Daniel)

July 2, 2026

July 2, 2026

(NON-DOCUMENT) ATTORNEY APPEARANCE of Kyu Yun Kim on behalf of plaintiff United States of America (Kim, Kyu Yun)

July 6, 2026

July 6, 2026

10

NOTICE re 1 Amended Exhibit 17 by plaintiff United States of America (Trundle, Colin) (Entered: 07/13/2026)

July 13, 2026

July 13, 2026

11

MOTION for preliminary injunction by plaintiff United States of America; (Attachments: # 1 Attachment Memorandum of Points and Authorities, # 2 Attachment Certificate of Word Count, # 3 Proposed Order) (Kim, Kyu Yun) (Entered: 07/13/2026)

1 Attachment Memorandum of Points and Authorities

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2 Attachment Certificate of Word Count

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3 Proposed Order

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July 13, 2026

July 13, 2026

RECAP
12

PROPOSED STIPULATION and ORDER Extending Defendants' Deadline to Respond to Complaint by defendants Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Ping, Daniel) (Entered: 07/14/2026)

July 14, 2026

July 14, 2026

13

STIPULATION AND ORDER extending answer deadline until 8/28/2026; signed by Chief Judge Hala Y. Jarbou (aks) (Entered: 07/14/2026)

July 14, 2026

July 14, 2026

14

MOTION to stay proceedings or extend time by defendants Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order) (Ping, Daniel) (Entered: 07/22/2026)

July 22, 2026

July 22, 2026

15

BRIEF in support of MOTION to stay proceedings or extend time 14 filed by Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Ping, Daniel) (Entered: 07/22/2026)

July 22, 2026

July 22, 2026

16

CERTIFICATE of compliance re word count for Brief in Support of a Motion 15 filed by Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Ping, Daniel) (Entered: 07/22/2026)

July 22, 2026

July 22, 2026

17

CERTIFICATE regarding compliance with LCivR 7.1(d) re MOTION to stay proceedings or extend time 14 filed by Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Ping, Daniel) (Entered: 07/22/2026)

July 22, 2026

July 22, 2026

18

RESPONSE in opposition to MOTION to stay proceedings or extend time 14 filed by United States of America (Attachments: # 1 Attachment Certificate of Compliance) (Trundle, Colin) (Entered: 07/24/2026)

July 24, 2026

July 24, 2026

19

NOTICE re 14 for Leave to Submit Additional Persuasive Authority in Support of its Opposition to Defendants' Motion for Stay by plaintiff United States of America (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 B, # 3 C) (Trundle, Colin) (Entered: 07/28/2026)

July 28, 2026

July 28, 2026

20

RESPONSE TO 19 Plaintiff's Motion for Leave filed by defendants Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Ping, Daniel) (Entered: 07/28/2026)

July 28, 2026

July 28, 2026

21

ORDER granting 19 motion for leave to file [19-1] additional persuasive authority; signed by Chief Judge Hala Y. Jarbou (aks) (Entered: 07/29/2026)

July 29, 2026

July 29, 2026

Case Details

State / Territory:

Michigan

Case Type(s):

Public Benefits/Government Services

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations By the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: June 26, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

The plaintiff is the United States of America.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Non-DOJ federal government plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

State

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Defendant Type(s):

Hospital/Health Department

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Other Dockets:

Western District of Michigan 1:26-cv-01950

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Declaratory judgment

Injunction

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

Benefits (Source):

Food stamps/SNAP

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority:

Access to information systems

DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency)

Recommended Citation