SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge has issued a temporary ruling preventing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from utilizing Medicaid data from Washington and 19 additional states for immigration enforcement. The preliminary injunction, delivered by U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, addresses a multistate lawsuit filed in Northern California, citing inadequate protocol by federal agencies regarding the sharing of sensitive health information.
Judge Chhabria’s decision indicated a need for adherence to proper decision-making processes when altering policies tied to personal health data. As a result of the injunction, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, will not be allowed to share Medicaid information with DHS for deportation actions.
The judge emphasized that using Medicaid data for immigration purposes could severely disrupt its operations, noting that Medicaid is essential for providing health coverage to some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations. The injunction will remain effective until HHS and DHS fulfill the necessary decision-making processes mandated by federal law or until the litigation reaches a conclusion.
Following the ruling, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown expressed the importance of safeguarding private health information. He highlighted that individuals should be able to seek medical care without fearing potential repercussions from federal authorities regarding their health data.
Washington joined the lawsuit against the Trump administration earlier this month, reacting to reports that Medicaid information from various states had been shared with immigration officials. This included sensitive personal details such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and immigration statuses.
The data-sharing incident triggered considerable backlash from advocates for immigrants, civil rights organizations, and state officials, who raised alarms about the misuse of medical data against patients. In the Seattle area, some community health clinics have begun implementing measures to protect patient privacy in light of the potential for federal immigration officials to initiate inquiries.
In Washington State, more than 1.9 million individuals are enrolled in Apple Health, the state’s Medicaid program. Among these members, approximately 49,000 are ineligible for certain federally funded programs due to their immigration status. Additionally, about 12,000 low-income immigrants without legal status were enrolled in the Apple Health Expansion program last year, which covers vital medical services.
Patients who signed up for Apple Health Expansion were assured that their information would be kept confidential, according to the Washington State Health Care Authority, which manages the Medicaid program. Although states have historically shared medical data with CMS to secure federal funding, many health leaders were unaware that this information could also be conveyed to non-health agencies.
Judge Chhabria noted that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has maintained a policy prohibiting the use of Medicaid data for deportation for over a decade, underscoring that this policy had been communicated clearly to states and medical providers.
The ruling remarked on the necessity for federal agencies to conduct thorough decision-making before altering existing policies. Chhabria indicated that the evidence suggests that such a process was not followed in this instance.
The attorney general’s office also expressed concern that the administration’s actions create uncertainty and fear, leading eligible noncitizens and their families to decline enrollment in emergency Medicaid. This, they noted, puts an additional burden on states and safety-net hospitals that must provide federally mandated emergency healthcare services.
The multistate lawsuit includes participation from attorneys general in several states, such as Arizona, California, Colorado, and New York, highlighting widespread concern regarding this data-sharing issue.
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