Two prominent advocacy groups filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday against the Trump administration, demanding the release of internal records concerning a policy that shares sensitive Medicaid enrollee data with immigration enforcement agencies.
The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) and American Oversight brought the suit to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) failed to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
The organizations are seeking clarity on how personal health information is being handed over to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to the complaint, the administration has authorized new data-sharing arrangements that break away from long-standing confidentiality practices. While some states have already challenged these practices, the groups argue that the specific details of what is being shared, and with whom, remain hidden from the public.
“The lack of transparency adds to the fear and confusion faced by immigrant families across the country who are left grappling with heartbreaking choices like skipping prenatal visits and keeping children off Medicaid,” said Sarah Grusin, a senior attorney at NHeLP. She noted that since reports of the data sharing emerged last summer, the government has consistently refused to clarify the scope of the program.
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The lawsuit specifically requests internal communications, agency agreements, and memoranda of understanding regarding the legality of sharing such data under federal privacy laws. It also seeks to find out how many individuals have been affected and what criteria are used to determine whose data is flagged for immigration authorities.
Advocates argue that the policy extends beyond immigration and impacts broader public health by scaring people away from necessary medical treatment. Chioma Chukwu, executive director of American Oversight, stated that the administration is making “deeply consequential decisions” without explaining what safeguards, if any, are in place to protect private information.
“When the government begins using health data for immigration enforcement, it not only raises privacy concerns but risks deterring people from seeking essential medical care,” Chukwu said. “These policies should alarm anyone whose data is managed by CMS.”
Although the federal agencies previously granted expedited processing for the FOIA requests, they did not produce the documents within the legally required timeframe.
The lawsuit now asks a judge to compel the immediate release of those records to reveal how federal agencies are interpreting their legal authority to bypass traditional patient privacy protections.
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