States Sue Over Medicaid Data Sharing With ICE

A coalition of 20 Democrat-led states, led by California, has sued the Trump administration, alleging that the Department of Health and Human Services unlawfully shared Medicaid recipients' confidential data—including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and immigration status—with the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. The states claim this mass transfer violated federal privacy laws, including HIPAA, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Privacy Act, and was conducted without patient consent or proper notification. They argue the data sharing could deter immigrants and mixed-status families from seeking medical care, harming public health and increasing state costs. Federal officials defend the policy as necessary for verifying Medicaid eligibility, but state attorneys general say existing systems make the new practice unnecessary. The lawsuit seeks to halt future data transfers, require destruction of already shared data, and prevent its use in immigration enforcement. The case reflects broader debates about privacy, public trust, and the impact of immigration policy on healthcare.