Medicaid data shared with DHS to aid immigration enforcement

Editor's Note

The Trump administration ordered federal health officials this week to share personal data from Medicaid enrollees with deportation authorities, the Associated Press (AP) reported June 14.

According to the report, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was given just 54 minutes on Tuesday to transfer enrollee information—including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and claims data—from four jurisdictions: California, Illinois, Washington state, and Washington, D.C. These areas offer state-funded Medicaid coverage to immigrants regardless of legal status.

The handoff occurred amid a surge in immigration enforcement in Southern California, the AP reports. HHS officials reportedly ordered the transfer over objections and an attempted block from critics arguing that the data sharing could violate the Social Security Act, the Privacy Act of 1974, and longstanding policies restricting the use of Medicaid data outside program administration.  

CMS has reportedly also launched of a broader review of Medicaid enrollees in several states to determine whether federal dollars have been used to cover individuals with “unsatisfactory immigration status.” California, Illinois, and Washington have already submitted enrollee data, while New York, Oregon, Minnesota, and Colorado—states that also offer full state-funded Medicaid coverage to undocumented immigrants—have not yet complied.

Reaction to the data transfer was swift. As detailed in the article, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the move could “jeopardize the safety, health, and security” of vulnerable communities. Illinois health officials said they were “deeply concerned,” citing legal protections under the Privacy Act. U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman wrote on X that using a person’s medical needs against them “will only lead to more chaos and pain.” Former CMS officials described the move as highly unusual, pointing out that CMS typically does not share personal health data with other departments.

The full report offer additional detail and context, including related court decisions, Medicaid requirements, and commentary from health officials and experts.