Well, this is certainly a change of pace—a federal court actually sided with the Trump administration. On Monday, a judge ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement can use Medicaid data to help track down and deport illegal aliens beginning January 6, delivering a significant victory for the administration’s enforcement agenda.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in July by 22 Democrat-led states, spearheaded by California, which challenged the administration’s decision to share Medicaid data with the Department of Homeland Security. The states argued that transferring this information illegally exposed confidential health data, including immigration status. The lawsuit followed authorization by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who approved the data transfer from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to DHS back in June.
U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, an Obama appointee, partially granted and partially denied the states’ request for a preliminary injunction. In his decision, Chhabria ruled that ICE officials are legally permitted to access six specific categories of Medicaid data: address, citizenship, immigration status, phone number, date of birth, and Medicaid ID.
“The sharing of such information is clearly authorized by law and the agencies have adequately explained their decisions,” Chhabria wrote in his seven-page order. In other words, the law says what it says—no amount of blue-state outrage changes that.
The judge did, however, take issue with the administration’s broader language regarding other potential categories of information. Chhabria said the government had not sufficiently explained what additional data it might seek, why it would be necessary, or what safeguards would be in place to prevent misuse. Because of that lack of clarity, he temporarily blocked the administration from accessing any Medicaid data beyond the six approved categories.
Still, the core of the ruling stands: ICE can use Medicaid data to enforce immigration law. And that’s no small thing.
For those wondering how illegal aliens ended up in Medicaid databases to begin with, the answer lies with blue-state policy choices. California and several other Democrat-run states—including Illinois, Colorado, New York, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C.—allow certain individuals to receive state-funded benefits through Medicaid programs regardless of immigration status. That decision now comes with consequences.
The biggest loser in this case appears to be California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who led the effort to block the data sharing. His office expressed frustration with the ruling, claiming it would undermine trust in the healthcare system for illegal aliens.
“The Trump Administration’s effort to use Medicaid data for immigration enforcement is a violation of their trust,” a spokesperson for the California Department of Justice said, warning it could discourage people from seeking care.
Meanwhile, the administration is unapologetic. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin hailed the decision as “a victory for the rule of law and American taxpayers.” And it’s hard to argue with that framing.
At the end of the day, this ruling reinforces a basic principle: taxpayer-funded programs are not meant to double as shields from federal law enforcement. The court affirmed what many Americans already believe—laws matter, accountability matters, and enforcing them is not optional.
For voters tired of watching states bend over backward to protect illegal activity, this decision sends a refreshing message: the rule of law is still alive, and it’s making a comeback.
