ICE Access to Medicaid Data Sparks Immigration Debate

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will gain access to personal data of Medicaid enrollees for tracking immigrants possibly living illegally in the U.S. This move, part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, is drawing legal challenges and concerns over privacy implications.

The Trump administration's latest move in its immigration crackdown has raised eyebrows as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are set to access personal data from the nation's 79 million Medicaid enrollees. This data includes sensitive information such as home addresses and ethnicities.

According to a newly surfaced agreement obtained by The Associated Press, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have signed an understanding with the Department of Homeland Security to aid ICE in locating undocumented immigrants. This unprecedented access to millions of personal health records is aimed at deporting up to 3,000 people daily, a target the administration is aggressively pursuing.

The move has already been met with legal challenges from lawmakers and some CMS officials who question the legality and ethical implications of such data sharing. A spokesperson for Health and Human Services would not comment on the agreement, and it's unclear if the Department of Homeland Security has yet accessed these records. However, statements from department representatives confirm that efforts are underway to stop illegal aliens from receiving Medicaid benefits improperly.

(With inputs from agencies.)