Overview: The Trump administration has shared personal data on millions of Medicaid enrollees, including immigration status, with deportation officials, according to The Associated Press. The data was obtained from California, Illinois, Washington state and Washington, D.C. The administration’s actions have sparked protests across the state and nation. California has sued Trump over the deployment of the National Guard and has proposed freezing enrollment of new beneficiaries and charging premiums, expected to save the state over $5 billion.
Breanna Reeves
This week, President Donald Trump’s administration shared personal data on millions of Medicaid enrollees, including immigration status, with deportation officials, according to The Associated Press (AP) who first reported the news.
The AP obtained an internal memo and emails which showed that Medicaid officials attempted to block the transfer of data, but were unsuccessful. The data was given to the Department of Homeland Security.
“Sharing Medicaid beneficiary information with the Department of Homeland Security – which is itself legally dubious – will jeopardize the safety, health, and security of those who will undoubtedly be targeted by this abuse, and Americans more broadly,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “Federal law requires emergency care to be provided to all to save lives, and the federal government helps pay for it for low-income individuals, regardless of immigration status.”
AP reported that the dataset included the information of people living in California, Illinois, Washington state and Washington, D.C. All four states allow eligible residents to enroll, regardless of immigration status. No details were given on how the information would be used.
“Pure and simple: Our laws promise those who are covered through Medicaid that their personally identifying and health information will be held confidential. Sharing that information with those who are taking actions against immigrants provides yet another example of this administration running roughshod over bedrock legal protections,” stated Sarah Somers, National Health Law Program (NHeLP) Legal Director.
“Sharing this data will almost certainly lead to deportations, family separation, and a chilling effect that discourages eligible individuals from enrolling in Medicaid or seeking necessary medical care.”
Since ICE raids began across Southern California on June 9, Newsom has taken to social media to call out Trump’s actions as the president deployed the National Guard and additional marines to Los Angeles County, despite Newsom’s objections. The two have taken to social media to trade criticisms and insults over the last few days as ICE officials have invaded cities, from Los Angeles to Paramount to Downey to San Bernardino.
Politicians across the state have condemned the actions by Trump including Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, who was forcibly removed from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s press conference on June 12. Padilla was not detained and following the incident, Padilla shared a message and a video on social media platform X.
“If that’s what they do to a United States Senator with a question, imagine what they can do to any American that dares to speak up. We will hold this administration accountable,” he posted.
In another post with a video of Padilla giving a speech, he stated, “If this is how this administration responds to a Senator with a question, you can only imagine what they’re doing to farmworkers, to cooks, and to day laborers throughout California and across the country. We will hold this administration accountable.”
California sued Trump over the deployment of the Nation Guard and though a federal judge ruled in favor of the state, an appeals court temporarily blocked the federal judge’s order that directed the Trump administration to return control of California’s National Guard back to the state.
Demonstrations have erupted across the state — and nation — as ICE agents have arrested people while masking their faces.
“Medicaid exists to ensure access to lifesaving health care,” said Kim Lewis, director of California Policy at NHeLP. “Using Medicaid as a means for immigration enforcement betrays the trust that individuals place in public programs and significantly undermines public health. People who need health care should be able to get it without fear of ICE raids. This week we’ve seen the Trump administration’s indiscriminate immigration raids in Los Angeles, but it won’t stop in LA. This should concern all of us.”
California became the first state in the nation to extend health insurance to low-income undocumented immigrants through its Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, in 2024. But last month Newsom proposed freezing enrollment of new beneficiaries and charging premiums in a move expected to save the state more than $5 billion. Under the proposal that would begin in 2026, Medi-Cal would no longer accept new enrollees, 19 and older, who do not have permanent legal status.