Trump admin transfers immigrant Medicaid data, may aid deportation efforts

Business Standard

a day ago

The Trump administration has transferred personal data, including immigration status, of millions of Medicaid enrollees to deportation officials — a move that could aid federal efforts to locate and remove undocumented immigrants. Internal communications obtained by The Associated Press reveal that this transfer happened despite objections from Medicaid officials who cited legal and ethical risks.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was given just 54 minutes on Tuesday to comply with an order from two senior advisers to Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who directed the handover of the dataset to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Resistance from within CMS
PTI. She emphasised that such data sharing is only lawful for purposes directly tied to administering Medicaid.
Experts warn that beyond aiding ICE operations, the data could jeopardise the legal prospects of migrants seeking green cards or US citizenship, particularly if they received federally funded Medicaid benefits, the PTI reported.
The CMS action coincides with an uptick in immigration enforcement in Southern California, where federal officials are conducting raids supported by National Guard troops and Marines.
Political and legal fallout
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office issued a statement expressing concern: 'We deeply value the privacy of all Californians. This potential data transfer brought to our attention by the AP is extremely concerning, and if true, potentially unlawful.'
Federal justification and DHS response
A spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Andrew Nixon, defended the data transfer: 'With respect to the recent data sharing between CMS and DHS, HHS acted entirely within its legal authority — and in full compliance with all applicable laws — to ensure that Medicaid benefits are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them.'
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin linked the move to Trump's broader immigration agenda. 'Trump promised to protect Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. To keep that promise after Joe Biden flooded our country with tens of millions of illegal aliens, CMS and DHS are exploring an initiative to ensure that illegal aliens are not receiving Medicaid benefits that are meant for law-abiding Americans,' she said.
Part of a broader crackdown
The Medicaid data handover is not an isolated incident. In May, a federal judge declined to stop the Internal Revenue Service from sharing tax information with ICE — a step aimed at tracking undocumented immigrants.
CMS, under Trump's February executive order 'Ending Taxpayer Subsidisation of Open Border', has initiated reviews of Medicaid rolls to ensure federal funds are not used for individuals with 'unsatisfactory immigration status'. According to a June 6 memo signed by Vitolo, California, Washington, and Illinois provided detailed enrollee data, including names, addresses, social security numbers, and claims histories.
Despite the objections, the administration appears determined to use government-held data in its immigration crackdown, raising serious questions about privacy, legality, and the future of public health access for immigrants.
(With PTI inputs)