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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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A federal judge has ruled that the government may share certain Medicaid enrollment information about people unlawfully present in the United States with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California has said the federal government is permitted to share certain basic identifying and location information under existing law.
"The sharing of such information is clearly authorized by law and the agencies have adequately explained their decisions," Chhabria wrote in the order on Monday.
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Why It Matters
The ruling allows ICE to begin using Medicaid enrollment data in deportation cases beginning January 6, lifting restrictions that had been in place for months during litigation brought by Democratic-led states. By permitting access to limited identifying and location information about undocumented immigrants, the decision advances President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement agenda and marks a legal victory for the administration's effort to expand the use of federal data in removal operations.
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What To Know
The lawsuit, filed in July by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and attorneys general from 21 other states, challenged the Trump administration's decision to allow the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to share Medicaid data with the Department of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement.
California argued the policy violated privacy protections and would deter people from seeking health care, citing reports that HHS had already shared personal data from undocumented immigrant Medicaid enrollees with immigration officials.
People unlawfully present in the United States generally do not qualify for full Medicaid coverage. However, federal law requires all states to provide emergency Medicaid, which offers limited, short-term coverage for lifesaving treatment in emergency rooms regardless of immigration status.
At the same time, the ruling places clear limits on what information may be shared. The judge allowed the transfer of only basic personal data, such as citizenship or immigration status, address, phone number, date of birth, and Medicaid identification numbers. The government remains barred from sharing personal health records or other sensitive medical information for immigration enforcement purposes.
In his decision, Chhabria said federal agencies had failed to provide a sufficient justification for sharing broader or more sensitive data and criticized parts of the government's policies as being unclear.
"Beyond the basic information discussed above, the policies are totally unclear and do not appear to be the product of a coherent decisionmaking process," he wrote.
The judge added, "The new policies are totally unclear about what that information would be, why it would be needed for immigration enforcement purposes, and what the risks of sharing it with DHS would be."
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the office of Governor Gavin Newsom told Newsweek: "This ruling greenlights an incredibly invasive overreach by the Trump administration that targets families and undermines basic trust in our health care system. No oneshould be forced to live in fear of seeing the doctor or going to the emergency room."
A spokesperson for the office of Attorney General Rob Bonta told Newsweek: We are disappointed in the court’s decision allowing for the sharing of some Medicaid data with ICE, though we are gratified that the court enjoined DHS’s broader efforts to obtain more sensitive health data; data of citizens, lawful permanent residents, and other people with lawful status; and data from other CMS administered health programs.
"When individuals signed up for Medi-Cal, they did so with the understanding that their data would not be used for purposes unrelated to administering the program. The Trump Administration’s effort to use Medicaid data for immigration enforcement is a violation of their trust and will lead to fewer people seeking vital healthcare, harming the overall health of our communities and increasing public health costs to the state."
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that the court ruling was "a victory for the rule of law and American taxpayers."
What Happens Next
Chhabria's order is set to remain in effect while the lawsuit continues. The court could revisit the restrictions if federal agencies adopt new policies.
Update 1/2/26, 9:58 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from the offices of Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta.
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