On December 30, a U.S. District Judge, Vince Chhabria, issued a ruling permitting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to access specific Medicaid data to locate immigrants residing in the United States without legal status. While undocumented immigrants are generally ineligible for Medicaid benefits, some states offer state-funded health plans that include all residents.

In July, a coalition of 20 states initiated a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), contesting the policy that grants the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extensive access to Medicaid health data. The states are seeking a judicial declaration that HHS's transfer of Medicaid data to DHS is unauthorized and should be blocked for immigration enforcement purposes.

Judge Chhabria partially denied the states' request for a preliminary injunction, allowing ICE to access basic biographical information, including citizenship, immigration status, address, phone number, date of birth, and Medicaid ID, but prohibiting access to sensitive medical information. The ruling is set to remain in effect until a final decision is reached in the case, with a hearing scheduled for the following Friday, if necessary.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed disappointment regarding the court's decision, emphasizing concerns that the sharing of Medicaid data with ICE could undermine trust in the healthcare system and deter individuals from seeking essential medical care. A spokesperson for the California Department of Justice noted that individuals enrolled in Medicaid did so with the expectation that their personal information would be safeguarded for healthcare purposes only. The spokesperson criticized the previous administration's attempts to utilize Medicaid data for immigration enforcement as a breach of this trust.

The ruling highlights ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement practices and the protection of personal health information, raising questions about the implications for public health and access to care for vulnerable populations.