Protecting Beneficiary Data

This report, the third in a series on municipal cash transfers in the U.S., focuses on data protection for undocumented or mixed-status beneficiary households. In the context of cash-based assistance programs, poor data protection practices could add additional risks for low-risk individuals by providing data trails that could pave the way for unauthorized access to applicant or beneficiary data or leakage of personally identifiable information. These could leave a digital footprint that can make it easier for law enforcement to target undocumented individuals.

Considering these risks, the study has identified and detailed approaches and strategies used to protect applicant and beneficiary data through four programmatic phases: targeting beneficiaries, outreach and onboarding, disbursement and distribution, and ongoing monitoring and data storage/retention. Insights in this report are gleaned from CFI interviews with cities, community-based organizations, debit card providers, and privacy advocates.