Home / Health / Judge Blocks Health Dept from Sharing Medicaid Enrollees' Data with Immigration Authorities
Judge Blocks Health Dept from Sharing Medicaid Enrollees' Data with Immigration Authorities
14 Aug
Summary
- Federal judge orders halt to Medicaid data sharing with deportation officials
- Disclosure of personal info like Social Security numbers and home addresses raised privacy concerns
- Medicaid data sharing was part of broader effort to provide immigration enforcement with more data
In a significant ruling, a federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to halt its practice of sharing the personal information of Medicaid enrollees with deportation officials. The judge's order, issued on August 10, 2025, temporarily blocks HHS from disclosing the data of Medicaid enrollees in 20 states, including California, Arizona, Washington, and New York.
The judge, Vince Chhabria, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, stated that the data sharing "threatens to significantly disrupt the operation of Medicaid" and that HHS must provide "reasoned decisionmaking" for its new policy of sharing data with immigration enforcement authorities.
The disclosure of Medicaid enrollees' personal information, such as Social Security numbers and home addresses, to deportation officials was part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with more data on migrants. This move immediately prompted a lawsuit over privacy concerns from 20 states.
The judge's order will remain in effect until HHS can justify its decision to share the data with immigration authorities. Immigrant advocates have expressed concern that the disclosure of personal information could deter people from seeking emergency medical care for fear of potential consequences from the federal government.
