California Attorney General Rob Bonta is leading a significant legal challenge against the federal government. On December 4, 2024, Bonta announced that California, along with 19 other states, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit arises from the government’s decision to share private Medicaid data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees immigration enforcement.
Bonta stated that this action violates long-standing privacy protections. He expressed concern that sharing sensitive health information with immigration officials will create fear among individuals who need medical care, possibly deterring them from seeking necessary treatment. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in San Francisco and aims to prevent the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from sharing Medicaid data with any federal agency. It also seeks to stop DHS from using this data for immigration enforcement or surveillance.
The data sharing, which occurred last month, reportedly involved sensitive information about millions of Medicaid recipients from states like California, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. These states provide health services to some low-income immigrants, including those without legal status, who do not qualify for Medicaid. States are required to share information about Medicaid enrollees with federal agencies, but they argue that this data should remain confidential.
The lawsuit calls for the court to order the destruction of any Medicaid data that has already been unlawfully disclosed to DHS. Bonta and the other attorneys general involved in the lawsuit are primarily Democrats, reflecting a broader pushback against the Trump administration’s policies.
In response, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that the sharing of data is part of an initiative to ensure that undocumented individuals are not receiving Medicaid benefits intended for lawful residents. Meanwhile, HHS has maintained that the data transfer was legal and is part of efforts to identify misuse of federal Medicaid funds.
This lawsuit highlights ongoing tensions between state and federal authorities over immigration policies and data privacy. It comes at a time when the Trump administration is facing scrutiny for its aggressive data collection efforts across various federal agencies, raising concerns about privacy and security.
The other states joining California in the lawsuit include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. As the legal battle unfolds, it may have significant implications for how personal health data is handled and the broader landscape of immigration enforcement in the United States.