This new problem arose as the Trump administration presented immigrant Medicaid data
Washington, D.C.: This week, the Trump administration granted deportation agents access to millions of Medicaid participants’ personal information, including their immigration status, which raised ethical and legal questions for the agency.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) officials protested the data transfer, citing potential violations of federal regulations such as the Social Security Act and the Privacy Act of 1974, according to internal documents and emails obtained by AP.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s two senior advisers ordered the information to be provided to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in spite of their reservations. CMS has only 54 minutes to comply on Tuesday.
According to Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the data exchange was lawful and compliant with federal standards. He would not say how DHS intends to use the data or why it was given.
People in California, Illinois, Washington State, and Washington, DC—states that permit non-citizens to receive state-funded Medicaid—were included in the data along with their names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and claimed information.
The announcement coincided with a rise in Southern California immigration enforcement.
According to experts, the data might be used to track down undocumented immigrants and possibly deny citizenship, permanent residency, or green cards to people who had received Medicaid benefits paid for by the federal government.
The office of California Governor Gavin Newsom voiced alarm at the action, describing it as “potentially unlawful” and “extremely concerning.” The use of private data in federal immigration enforcement operations was also criticized in the statement.
CMS stated last month that it will be conducting a targeted examination of Medicaid members in specific states to make sure that those with “unsatisfactory immigration status” were not receiving federal funds. According to the document, CMS officials attempted to deny DHS’s request, claiming that the information was solely intended for Medicaid administration and not for immigration enforcement.