A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration may resume sharing limited Medicaid enrollment data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), partially lifting restrictions imposed earlier this year after a lawsuit filed by Democratic-led states.
In a seven-page order issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria determined that federal agencies are legally permitted to share basic personal information about illegal immigrants who receive state-funded Medicaid benefits. The ruling allows the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide ICE with data including citizenship and immigration status, home address, phone number, date of birth and Medicaid identification number.
Chhabria found that federal law authorizes the sharing of this limited category of information and that the agencies adequately explained their decision to change prior policy. He cited statutes that grant the Department of Homeland Security broad authority to obtain information from other federal agencies for legitimate law enforcement purposes, including immigration enforcement.
However, the judge blocked the administration from accessing any information beyond those specific categories. He concluded that the government failed to clearly explain what additional data might be shared, why it would be necessary, or how privacy risks would be mitigated. Chhabria warned that the policies, as written, could allow for the disclosure of sensitive medical records or information related to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, concerns he described as unresolved and legally significant.
The lawsuit was brought by California and 21 other states after reports that health data collected through Medicaid programs was being used for immigration enforcement. The states argued that such data sharing would violate public trust and deter vulnerable communities from seeking essential health care.
The preliminary injunction will remain in place while the case continues, allowing only narrowly defined data sharing. Chhabria noted that broader access could be reconsidered if the administration adopts clearer policies that provide a stronger legal and policy justification.
