San Francisco, California — A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration may continue sharing limited Medicaid-related information about undocumented immigrants between federal agencies, rejecting an effort by more than 20 states to block the practice.
U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California denied a request for a preliminary injunction that would have stopped the Department of Health and Human Services from sharing certain data with the Department of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement. The ruling allows the federal government to resume nationwide data sharing beginning Jan. 6, 2026, after a temporary restriction expires.
Chhabria concluded that the administration is legally permitted to share basic biographical, location, and contact information, including immigration status, address, phone number, date of birth, citizenship, and Medicaid identification numbers. He wrote that federal agencies adequately explained their policies and that such data sharing is clearly authorized under existing law.
However, the judge also placed limits on the scope of information that can be transferred. He granted the states’ request to block the sharing of any additional Medicaid-related data beyond those six categories, citing concerns about unclear purpose and potential risks.
The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of Democratic-led states, including California, Minnesota, New York, Illinois, and Washington, arguing the policy could deter immigrants from seeking medical care and undermine state-run Medicaid programs. While the ruling represents a partial win for the Trump administration, it leaves unresolved broader questions about privacy protections and the role of health data in immigration enforcement.
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