President Trump’s administration has ordered Medicaid at hand over the private information of suspected undocumented immigrants to officers finishing up his mass deportation push as activists gear up for Saturday’s deliberate nationwide protests in opposition to his crackdown.
Officers on the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies, who initially resisted the bizarre order violating privateness guidelines, got lower than an hour to adjust to the directive.
An individual holds an indication as folks attending a prayer vigil begin to stroll to the Federal Constructing in downtown Los Angeles as protests proceed in response to federal immigration operations on June 10, 2025. (Picture by ROBYN BECK/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
A Well being and Human Companies Division spokesman confirmed the info sharing, however declined to clarify how it might be used.
“HHS acted … in full compliance with all applicable laws to ensure that Medicaid benefits are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them,” mentioned HHS communications director Andrew Nixon.
The information contains the data of individuals residing in California, Illinois, Washington state and Washington, D.C., all of which permit non-U.S. residents to enroll in Medicaid applications that pay for his or her bills utilizing solely state or native tax {dollars}.
The information dump comes as Trump ramps up an aggressive effort to deport thousands and thousands of undocumented immigrants, prompting protests which have erupted in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
Folks attending a prayer vigil stroll to the Federal Constructing in downtown Los Angeles as protests proceed in response to federal immigration operations on June 10, 2025. (Picture by ROBYN BECK/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
In addition to serving to authorities discover, detain and deport undocumented immigrants, the feds may use the data to scuttle the hopes of migrants looking for inexperienced playing cards, everlasting residency or citizenship in the event that they improperly obtained federally funded advantages.
Well being officers introduced late final month that they have been reviewing some states’ Medicaid enrollees to make sure federal funds haven’t been used to pay for protection for folks with “unsatisfactory immigration status.”
The Medicaid effort sparked pushback from profession officers, who initially mentioned that federal regulation bars disclosure of non-public information of recipients to some other businesses together with immigration officers. However they caved and handed over the delicate information.
Protests in opposition to Trump’s immigration insurance policies proceed to unfold forward of deliberate rallies in an estimated 2,000 cities worldwide, together with New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C..
Demonstrators took to the streets final weekend in Los Angeles after Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers launched new crackdowns in Los Angeles, together with focusing on parking numerous house enchancment shops the place employees collect to hunt work as day laborers.
Trump has ordered the Nationwide Guard and Marines to assist quell the protests, though a federal choose dominated that transfer was unlawful. An appeals court docket put the ruling on maintain till a listening to set for Tuesday.
The day of protests on Saturday will happen across the identical time as Trump presides over a $45 million navy parade in Washington, D.C. that coincides along with his 79th birthday.
