ICE Got 79 Million Medicaid Files, Critics Say It’s a Healthcare Hit Job
A secretive data transfer of 79 million Medicaid records to ICE, greenlit by Trump officials despite legal objections, has ignited lawsuits, protests, and fears that public healthcare is being weaponized for immigration enforcement.
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was granted access to personal data of approximately 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and immigration status, as part of the Trump administration’s push to track undocumented immigrants, according to reports from the Associated Press and other outlets. The move, ordered by two top advisers to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has sparked outrage and legal challenges over privacy violations and potential deterrence of healthcare access.
The data transfer, first reported by the Associated Press, involved the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which manages Medicaid, handing over sensitive information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CMS officials, led by Medicaid Deputy Director Sara Vitolo, attempted to block the transfer, citing violations of federal laws like the Social Security Act and the Privacy Act of 1974. Their objections, outlined in a June 6 memo, were overruled, and CMS was given just 54 minutes to comply on June 10. The dataset primarily includes enrollees from California, Illinois, Washington, and Washington, D.C., where state-funded Medicaid programs cover non-U.S. citizens, including undocumented immigrants, using state funds. California alone has 1.7 million undocumented immigrants enrolled in Medi-Cal, its Medicaid program.
Critics, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and 20 state attorneys general, have condemned the action as “legally dubious” and an “abuse” that creates a “culture of fear.” Newsom warned it could deter people from seeking emergency care, which federal law mandates for all, regardless of immigration status. A lawsuit filed on July 1 in federal court in San Francisco by California and 19 other states seeks to block DHS from using the data for immigration enforcement and to destroy any copies already shared. The states argue the transfer violates longstanding CMS policy against sharing enrollee data with other agencies, with former CMS official Jeffrey Grant stating, “DHS has no role in anything related to Medicaid.”
The initiative aligns with President Trump’s February 19 executive order, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” which prompted CMS to review state Medicaid programs for “unsatisfactory immigration status” enrollees. Proponents, including HHS spokesman Nixon, claim the move ensures Medicaid benefits are reserved for “law-abiding Americans.” However, health advocates like Dr. Shannon Udovic-Constant of the California Medical Association called it “reckless,” warning it could discourage people from seeking care, harming community health.
The data transfer coincides with intensified ICE raids, including operations in Los Angeles involving National Guard and Marines, and follows a May 2025 decision allowing the IRS to share immigrant tax data with ICE. The controversy has fueled protests, with Los Angeles reporting cancellations of medical appointments due to fears of raids, as noted by St. John’s Community Health. Critics like Tanya Broder of the National Immigration Law Center warning that turning Medicaid into an “immigration enforcement machine” could have lasting health consequences.