ICE Granted Access to Medicaid Data to Track Undocumented Immigrants

In a sweeping new measure, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will now have access to the personal data of all 79 million Medicaid enrollees across the United States, including home addresses, dates of birth, ethnic and racial information, and Social Security numbers, according to a government agreement obtained by the Associated Press.

The unprecedented data-sharing arrangement, made between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is designed to help ICE identify and locate individuals believed to be living in the U.S. without legal authorization and who are receiving Medicaid benefits—a program meant for U.S. citizens and qualified residents.

HHS confirmed the move, stating that it is working closely with ICE to ensure that Medicaid resources are reserved for those legally entitled to them. The agency said it will allow ICE to "receive identity and location information on aliens identified by ICE."

According to recently released data, approximately 1.4 million undocumented immigrants are believed to be enrolled in Medicaid. Trump administration officials say that this effort is part of a broader push to remove undocumented individuals from taxpayer-funded programs, and to identify potential fraud.

The data-sharing policy comes amid growing scrutiny of the Biden-era Medicaid expansion, which allowed more low-income adults—including some in mixed-status households—to qualify for coverage. Trump-era officials have reportedly requested Medicaid data from at least seven states that expanded eligibility in recent years.

Former President Donald Trump, who is running for re-election, has touted the move as a pillar of his proposed immigration and healthcare policy. In promoting what he calls his "One Big Beautiful Bill," Trump previously said, "Not only does it cut taxes for ALL Americans, but it will kick millions of illegal aliens off of Medicaid to PROTECT it for those who are the ones in real need."

The agreement has sparked alarm among immigrant rights advocates and civil liberties groups, who say the policy could deter vulnerable individuals and families from seeking essential healthcare services out of fear of arrest or deportation. Critics also warn of potential misuse of sensitive personal data and privacy violations.

ICE has not confirmed how soon it will begin acting on the information or what enforcement measures will follow, but federal officials insist that all actions will comply with current immigration laws.

This development is likely to become a major flashpoint in the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election, where immigration and healthcare continue to dominate national debate.