ICE to Access Medicaid Data of Millions to Track Immigrants

According to an agreement obtained by The Associated Press, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials will gain access to the personal data of the nation's 79 million Medicaid enrollees. This data includes home addresses and ethnicities, and will be used to track down immigrants who may not be residing legally in the United States.

The agreement, signed between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), grants ICE the ability to locate "aliens" across the country. The agreement has not been publicly announced. This disclosure of personal health data to deportation officials is seen as an escalation in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts.

The agreement explicitly states that ICE will use the CMS data to obtain identity and location information on individuals identified by ICE. Such disclosures could cause widespread concern among people seeking medical help.

The database will provide ICE officials with names, addresses, birth dates, ethnic and racial information, and Social Security numbers for all Medicaid enrollees. The agreement allows ICE access to the data for a limited time each weekday until September 9.

Immigrants who are not living in the U.S. legally, as well as some lawfully present immigrants, are not allowed to enroll in the Medicaid program. However, federal law mandates that all states offer emergency Medicaid, which covers life-saving services in emergency rooms for anyone, including non-U.S. citizens.

The data sharing with DHS officials has prompted backlash from lawmakers and governors. Twenty states have filed lawsuits, alleging violations of federal health privacy laws. CMS officials previously attempted, unsuccessfully, to halt the data sharing.