Stop ICE from Using Medicaid Data to Deport Patients

ICE Access to Medicaid Data Must Be Stopped I write today to express deep concern over a dangerous policy enacted by the Trump administration that grants Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to personally identifiable information (PII) of over 79 million Medicaid recipients. This includes names, addresses, birthdates, ethnicities, and Social Security numbers—data that ICE is using to target individuals for deportation. Violation of Patient Trust and Privacy Laws This unprecedented data-sharing agreement between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Homeland Security appears to violate long-standing federal privacy protections, including HIPAA and the Privacy Act of 1974. Internal CMS staff warned that the agreement lacked legal justification, but the Trump administration approved the policy behind closed doors anyway. Public Health Consequences and Chilling Effects By transforming a healthcare program into an immigration surveillance tool, the administration risks driving immigrant families—including U.S. citizens—away from seeking necessary care. Patients may now forgo emergency or preventive treatment out of fear that their information will be used to target loved ones. This undermines public health and places communities at greater risk. States and Legal Experts Are Sounding the Alarm More than 20 states, led by California, are suing to block the agreement. They argue it breaks federal privacy law and threatens both public health and civil liberties. Legal and medical experts alike have decried the move as reckless and illegal. Congressional Action Is Urgently Needed I urge you to take immediate action to halt this harmful program. Specifically, please: 1. Support and co-sponsor legislation to bar Medicaid data from being shared with immigration enforcement. 2. Demand an immediate suspension of the CMS–ICE agreement pending congressional review. 3. Initiate public hearings to investigate whether federal privacy laws have been violated. 4. Direct federal agencies to reassure the public that health care enrollment will remain confidential and safe. Conclusion: Healthcare Is Not a Tool for Deportation Patients should never have to choose between medical care and personal safety. Medicaid must remain a trusted lifeline, not a pipeline to detention and deportation. I urge you to act swiftly to protect the privacy, health, and dignity of millions of Americans.