On December 29, 2025, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria ruled that the Trump administration can share basic biographical and location data of Medicaid enrollees who are in the country illegally with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Details of the Ruling
- Effective Date: ICE may begin using this data for immigration enforcement on January 6, 2026.
- Authorized Data: The ruling is narrowly tailored to six categories of “basic” information for individuals unlawfully in the U.S.:
- Citizenship and immigration status.
- Name, home address, and phone number.
- Date of birth and Medicaid ID.
- Prohibited Data: The judge blocked the sharing of sensitive health records, as well as data belonging to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
- Scope: While undocumented immigrants are generally ineligible for federal Medicaid, several states (including California and Illinois) use state funds to provide coverage to this population through their Medicaid implementation programs.
Background on Medicaid and Undocumented Immigrants
- Federal Law: Undocumented immigrants are largely ineligible for federally funded Medicaid benefits, with limited exceptions like emergency medical services.
- State Programs: Some states utilize their own taxpayer funds to expand coverage. For example, California’s Medi-Cal program and Washington’s Apple Health provide full-scope medical services regardless of immigration status.
Previous Status: Data sharing was temporarily halted by a preliminary injunction in August 2025 after 20 states filed a lawsuit, arguing the practice violated privacy laws like HIPAA. This new ruling partially reverses that block.
