DHS Using Medicaid Data for Immigration Crackdown

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly using Medicaid enrollment data, including immigration status, to pursue its sweeping nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration.

According to The Associated Press, the personal data of millions of Medicaid enrollees was shared this week with immigration officials despite an attempt by officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to block the data transfer.

Citing an internal memo and emails, the outlet reported that Medicaid officials objected to the sharing of the data on legal and ethical grounds.

According to the memo and two people familiar with the matter, the data includes the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and claims data for enrollees in California, Illinois, Washington state and Washington, D.C. — all of which allow illegal immigrants to enroll in Medicaid programs funded by state taxpayer dollars.

The emails reportedly show that two of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s top advisers ordered that the dataset be handed over to DHS within 54 minutes on Tuesday.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said in a statement that it was concerned about how immigration officials might use the data, especially as federal authorities step up enforcement efforts with the help of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines in Los Angeles.

"We deeply value the privacy of all Californians," Newsom's office said. "This potential data transfer brought to our attention by the AP is extremely concerning, and if true, potentially unlawful, particularly given numerous headlines highlighting potential improper federal use of personal information and federal actions to target the personal information of Americans."

HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon told the AP that the department "acted entirely within its legal authority and in full compliance with all applicable laws."

Tricia McLaughlin, assistant DHS secretary for public affairs, said that President Donald Trump "promised to protect Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries."

"To keep that promise after [former President] Joe Biden flooded our country with tens of millions of illegal aliens, CMS and DHS are exploring an initiative to ensure that illegal aliens are not receiving Medicaid benefits that are meant for law-abiding Americans," she said in a statement.

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