A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration may resume sharing limited Medicaid patient data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allowing the practice to move forward beginning Jan. 6.
USA Today reported that U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California said the federal government can legally provide ICE with basic biographical, location, and contact information obtained through Medicaid records.
The ruling marks a partial victory for the administration's effort to expand information sharing between federal agencies and immigration enforcement.
The decision follows a lawsuit filed in July by 20 states, including California, seeking to block the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from sharing Medicaid-related data with immigration authorities.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office joined the lawsuit, said the states were disappointed by the ruling that allows some data to be shared.
Chhabria emphasized that the decision does not permit the release of all Medicaid information. He said the existing injunction still blocks the sharing of other categories of data, including information related to immigrants who are legally present in the United States.
"Beyond the basic information discussed above, the policies are totally unclear and do not appear to be the product of a coherent decision making process," Chhabria wrote in his ruling.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) welcomed the decision. Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the ruling represents a victory for the rule of law and for taxpayers.
Under federal law, illegal aliens are generally not eligible for comprehensive Medicaid coverage.
Some illegal immigrants may receive coverage for emergency, life-saving medical treatment through Emergency Medicaid.
In addition, several states, including California, offer state-funded health benefits to residents regardless of immigration status.
The Trump administration has sought to increase cooperation and data sharing among federal agencies to support immigration enforcement and deportation efforts.
Several of those initiatives have faced legal challenges and court intervention.
In September, a federal judge in California temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Agriculture from collecting data on recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP.
In November, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., barred the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from sharing tax return information with ICE.
Chhabria has not issued a final ruling in the Medicaid case.
A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 2 to address remaining issues related to the data-sharing policies.
Jim Mishler ✉
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