The Trump administration has finalized a deal to transfer the private information of 79 million Medicaid beneficiaries as part of the President’s strategy to tackle undocumented populations across the country.
As per documents acquired by the Associated Press, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have consented to share demographic and location data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. This information encompasses names, addresses, and ethnic backgrounds to aid in tracking undocumented persons in the U.S.
“ICE will utilize the CMS data to obtain identity and location details of aliens identified by ICE,” the agreement specifies. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at Health and Human Services, indicated that the two agencies are investigating a program to make sure that undocumented aliens do not access Medicaid services meant for lawful Americans.
Officials contend that the Medicaid information will serve to lower healthcare expenses. However, data from the U.S. Commission on Sentencing reveals that more than 90 percent of entitlement fraud is perpetrated by U.S. citizens, while undocumented individuals are eligible only for emergency health insurance coverage.
The initiative to collect information on undocumented individuals through government agencies represents the most extensive effort to centralize American citizens’ private data. According to the terms of the agreement, officials are prohibited from downloading any personal data from CMS’s databases indefinitely. They may only access information from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until September 9.
In June, the administration sought a large-scale data appropriation of personal health information from citizens in states permitting undocumented residents to access state-funded healthcare. State officials have subsequently filed lawsuits against the administration for unlawfully disclosing residents’ private information, asserting it would foster a culture of fear and dissuade individuals from pursuing medical care.
“By handing over some of our most sensitive healthcare information to ICE, Health and Human Services has fundamentally violated the trust of nearly 80 million individuals. This development demonstrates that the Administration’s assertion of utilizing this information to combat fraud is a deceptive tactic that will instead primarily further their objective of deporting millions,” stated Elizabeth Laird, director of equity in civic technology for the Center for Democracy and Technology.
“Over 90 percent of entitlement fraud is attributed to U.S. citizens, highlighting the misleading rationale for sharing this information with ICE. The repercussions of this decision will be catastrophic. It will further undermine trust in government, force individuals to choose between essential care and surrendering data to immigration authorities, and diminish the quality and efficacy of government services,” Laird continued.
The Trump administration’s One Big, Beautiful Bill, enacted on July 4, features a $1 trillion reduction in Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding over the next decade, impacting an estimated 11 million Americans and numerous rural hospitals. It also slashes $186 billion from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding, affecting 5 million adults and children, and designates $108 billion for immigration enforcement initiatives, including ongoing construction of a southern border barrier, new immigrant detention facilities, and logistical operations within the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice.