California and 19 other states have sued the Trump administration, alleging violations of federal privacy laws by releasing private Medicaid data of millions of enrollees to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Experts suggest the data could be used to locate migrants for mass deportation, while the administration defends the move as legal and necessary to ensure proper use of Medicaid funds.
20 states sue Trump administration over release of private Medicaid data to Homeland Security
CaliforniaUnited StatesWashington, D.C.U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesU.S. Department of Homeland SecurityImmigrants and newcomersMedicaidLaws
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️California and 19 other states have sued the Trump administration, alleging violations of federal privacy laws by releasing private Medicaid data of millions of enrollees to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Experts suggest the data could be used to locate migrants for mass deportation, while the administration defends the move as legal and necessary to ensure proper use of Medicaid funds.
Trending- 1 May: CMS announced a review of state Medicaid rolls to ensure federal funds were not used for people with 'unsatisfactory immigration status'.
- 2 May: A federal judge refused to block the IRS from sharing immigrants' tax data with ICE.
- 3 June 6: A memo signed by Medicaid Deputy Director Sara Vitolo asked California, Washington, and Illinois to share details about non-U.S. citizens in their Medicaid programs.
- 4 June 10: HHS officials directed the transfer of 'the data to DHS by 5:30 ET today'.
- 5 Last month: The Associated Press first reported the data release.
- 6 Tuesday: California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that he and 19 other state attorneys general have sued over the move.
- Lawsuit filed against the Trump administration by 20 states
- Concerns about the violation of federal privacy laws and potential misuse of sensitive health data
- Potential use of data to locate migrants for mass deportation campaigns
- Demand from Democratic members of Congress for data sharing to cease and destruction of received information
What: Twenty states, led by California, are suing the Trump administration over the release of private Medicaid data (including addresses, names, social security numbers, immigration status, and claims data) of millions of enrollees to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The lawsuit alleges violations of federal privacy laws, including HIPAA, the Social Security Act, and the Privacy Act of 1974.
When: Lawsuit filed on Tuesday. Data was released last month (June 10 HHS directed transfer). CMS announced a review in May.
Where: United States, specifically involving California, Illinois, Washington state, and Washington, D.C.
Why: The Trump administration ordered the data release to accelerate enforcement efforts and help DHS locate migrants in a mass deportation campaign, aiming to ensure federal funds are not used for individuals with 'unsatisfactory immigration status.' States argue this violates established privacy laws and policies.
How: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s advisers ordered the release of the dataset. Despite initial resistance from CMS officials citing legal violations, Trump appointees at HHS directed the transfer of data to DHS.