Trump Admin Shares Immigrant Medicaid Data with DHS/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration provided deportation officials with personal data from immigrant Medicaid enrollees. Health officials warned the data transfer may violate federal privacy laws and agency policy. DHS may use the data to track, deport, or deny green cards to immigrants.
Trump Team Shares Medicaid Immigrant Data: Quick Looks
- Data handoff: CMS transferred personal info of noncitizen Medicaid users to Homeland Security.
- Internal resistance: Medicaid officials warned move may violate federal law.
- State impact: California, Illinois, and Washington among states that submitted data.
- Wider crackdown: Data may aid Trump’s February executive order on immigrant benefits.
- Civil rights concern: States fear chilling effect and misuse of health records.
Trump Admin Shares Immigrant Medicaid Data with DHS
Deep Look
The Trump administration has delivered a massive trove of personal data from state-run Medicaid programs to federal deportation authorities, igniting a political and legal firestorm over privacy rights and immigration enforcement. The handover includes names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and claims data of non-citizen enrollees from states like California, Illinois, and Washington.
The internal documents show the decision came swiftly and over the objections of Medicaid administrators. Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) were given less than an hour on Tuesday to comply with orders from top advisers to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Despite objections from CMS attorneys and career staff, the data was sent to the Department of Homeland Security. The move appears to be part of a broader crackdown enabled by President Donald Trump’s executive order titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” signed in February.
Legal Pushback Inside the Government
A memo from CMS Deputy Director Sara Vitolo warned that releasing the data to DHS could violate both the Social Security Act and the Privacy Act of 1974. Vitolo and her team stressed that such data is meant solely for the administration of Medicaid—not immigration enforcement.
Vitolo noted the long-standing policy preventing Medicaid from sharing information with agencies like DHS, adding that the sudden change in precedent could have a chilling effect, discouraging states from reporting accurate information.
Despite these warnings, Health and Human Services officials directed the transfer to be completed on June 10.
State-Level Fallout
The states whose data was included—California, Washington, and Illinois—allow noncitizens to access Medicaid benefits using only state funds. These states insisted federal money was not involved, and warned of the risks of exposing vulnerable populations to federal law enforcement.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said the move was “potentially unlawful,” especially given recent federal actions that target sensitive data for political purposes. The state raised alarm about the privacy rights of all residents, not just immigrants.
Other Democratic-led states with similar programs, such as New York, Oregon, Minnesota, and Colorado, have not yet submitted data to CMS, according to a public health official familiar with the process.
DHS Access and Potential Uses
While the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment, former CMS officials emphasized how rare and dangerous the precedent is. Medicaid agencies are not typically used for immigration enforcement, and no known process previously allowed DHS access to this type of sensitive medical information.
Experts say DHS could use the data not only to locate individuals for deportation but also to block paths to legal residency for immigrants who received benefits—even if state-funded—during periods deemed ineligible under federal law.
Broader Implications for Immigration Policy
All U.S. states are required to provide emergency Medicaid services to non-citizens, but several states have opted to cover full benefits using their own budgets. The Trump administration has questioned whether these programs are truly isolated from federal funding.
Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon defended the administration’s actions, saying the department acted within its legal bounds. Nixon argued that the data sharing was needed to ensure benefits go only to those legally eligible, accusing immigrant-focused Medicaid programs of draining taxpayer funds.
Newsom, facing budget issues, recently froze new enrollments in California’s program. Illinois will also phase out its non-citizen program in July. Other states remain firm in their commitments but are now navigating new legal and political uncertainties.
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